Nigeria Police shows displeasure over “Sahara Reporters continuous attempt to heat up polity”

*Decries unfounded allegations against police operatives

*As it highlights recent successes in sustained fight against economic sabotage

By ABIRHIRE THOMAS

The Nigeria Police High Command in Abuja is unhappy with an online newspaper in Nigeria, Sahara Reporters, on its chosen path of deliberate attempt to heat up the polity, thus warning the publication – owned by a presidential candidate believed by many as “weightless” – to desist from doing so henceforth.

This was as the Nigeria Police Force, again, reiterated its sustained fight against economic sabotage, pipeline vandalism and bunkering especially since the recent restructuring and appointment of ACP Lot Garba as the Commander, Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering (IGP-STFPIB), through improved capacity, thorough practical training, investigative and operational assets which has been largely instrumental in bringing the purveyors of criminal activities against the economy to justice.

“As part of a very recent briefing of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee to Investigate Oil Lifting, Theft and the Impact on Petroleum Production and Oil Revenues on Wednesday 21st September, 2022, a report of the activities of the Task Force was presented which shows a deliberately sustained fight with salient achievements including the seizure of 1,301,020 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 135,000 litres of crude oil, 4,900 litres of premium motor spirit (PMS), 45,000 litres of engine oil, and 123 Tankers, with 52 cases currently under prosecution nationwide.

“Operatives of the IGP-STFPIB under the Command of ACP Garba, has equally latched onto the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Command and Control Centre Portal where actionable intelligence have been received and acted upon leading to several operational successes.

“The Sahara Reporters, again, in its publication of October 17, 2022, went on a name-calling spree and as usual attributing the alleged petition to a certain “Concerned Nigerian” who is without name, makes absurd allegations and whose claims are perceived to be baseless and lacking any vital leads. More so, one would expect a concerned Nigerian with such weighty allegations to be bold and assertive enough to reveal his identity so as to substantiate his claims, just like a whistle blower,” a police statement said.