By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN— the Edo State Police Command has arrested five persons allegedly involved in the diversion of a tanker loaded with 60,000 litres of petroleum products belonging to Capital Oil and Gas en route Abuja from Lagos.

The state police spokesman, Mr. Onwochei Stephen, said the truck with number plate GDD 246 TE, driven by one Alloy Imoh, a native of Imo State, was diverted at Aviele, close to Auchi.

He said investigation revealed that the said driver and the motor boy connived with some criminals to sell the petroleum product after diverting the truck.

The police scribe said: “The company used tracking device and informed the police through a telephone call. On receipt of the information, we swung into action and arrested and recovered the said truck near Lokoja town in Kogi State.

“When the motor boy of the truck sighted the police, he took to his heels, while the driver and one Shaibu Abu were arrested.

“During interrogation, Shaibu made a confessional statement, which led to the arrest of one Ibrahim Mohammed, who received the said product, and one Sunday Shaibu.

“The driver of the truck was equally arrested alongside a photographer, because he had arranged with the photographer to take shots of him tied to a tree, pretending that he was attacked by armed robbers.

“However, the driver of the truck, Mr. Imoh, denied conniving with armed robbers to divert the petroleum product, asserting that he was attacked by armed robbers, who dragged him to a vehicle and took him to a bush.”

The suspect had claimed that it was one of the police officers that asked him to go back to the bush and asked the photographer to take shots that will be proof that he was attacked by robbers.