The Joint Task Force (JTF), under the code name Operation Delta Safe, has apprehended two individuals accused of printing counterfeit documents used to facilitate the sale of stolen crude oil in the Niger Delta.
JTF Commander John Okeke informed journalists on Saturday at the command’s headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, that the suspects, Magaji Musa and Umar Musa, were arrested following a raid on their Port Harcourt residence early Tuesday.
According to Okeke, the syndicate specialized in producing fake documents for stolen crude oil within the Operation Delta Safe Joint Operation Area. These documents allowed oil thieves to operate freely and evade capture, significantly contributing to illegal oil bunkering in the region.
“Acting on intelligence, troops from Operation Delta Safe raided the Port Harcourt residence of the ringleader, Mr. Magaji Musa, along with Umar Musa, on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, and arrested them,” Okeke said.
During the raid, various forged documents, including fake association stamps, waybills, and identity cards, were recovered from the residence.
The suspects have reportedly admitted to creating fake waybills, engaging in illegal crude sales, and diverting stolen oil from pipelines.
