The Task Force cautioned oil companies to monitor their employees

Two suspected surveillance workers of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) were on Wednesday arrested by soldiers of the Joint Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta over oil theft.

Michael Etete, the Spokesman for the 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, disclosed this in a signed statement made available to reporters.

Mr. Etete said the workers were arrested for breaking and tapping crude oil from an SPDC pipeline located at Kporgho in Gokana local government area in Rivers.

“At about 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 19, troops of JTF Sector 2 Pulo Shield on patrol discovered a pipe break and an illegal connection on SPDC pipeline in Kporgho in Gokana LGA.

“Bori Friday and Young Apahia, all males, working for SPDC as surveillance officers were arrested at the scene. The two were suspected to be responsible for the pipeline vandalism,” Mr. Etete said.

The Army spokesman said the two suspects had been handed over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps for prosecution.

Mr. Etete called on multinational oil companies operating in the area to monitor its workers so as to aid security agents in its mandate of eliminating illegal oil bunkering in the region.

However, the Shell spokesperson, Precious Okolobo, said the arrested staff ate not employees of the company. He said they were “contractor staff” who are employees of a company contracted by Shell.

Mr. Okolobo promised to give a detailed response later.

with Agency report