Powerful people behind our activities —Arrested vessel hijacker

Posted by admin Headlines Sunday, October 21st, 2012

He alleged that one of the top players in the oil industry contacted his gang and gave them the job for an agreed sum of N16m.

Other members of the gang arrested were Sola Sama, also known as Michael Babalola or Pere John, and Captain Mike.

Blessing advised the Federal Government to look inward in its fight against oil theft. “Lagos State being a coastal city plays a major role as a place where we meet to discuss business. So, government must search its big men if it is serious in fighting the war,” he said.

Another arrested suspect, Sola Sama, also opened up on the escapades of the vessel hijacking gang. He said he had to beg before he was admitted into the gang.

The suspect said he took the decision when he got to know about the huge amount of money the gang members were making individually after each operation.

He said before he became a member, he used to look for prospective buyers of their stolen products. This role, according to him, did not fetch him enough money to take care of his responsibilities.

He recalled: “Whenever they shared money, they always gave me a little, so, one day, I went to them and begged that I wanted to join them. Then Ateke took me to Mr Blessing and the group accepted me.”

Sama revealed that his first operation with the gang took place on Benin Republic waters in January 2012. He added that he went with Blessing, Ateke and others he could not recall. He also said that he was given N2.7m after the hijack of MT ENERGY CENTURION some weeks ago. He said he bought a new car from the proceeds.

He also confirmed the code name of the sea piracy operation while he said that the captain of buyer vessel is referred to as Double Juliet. He stated further that it took his gang three days to reach the location of the vessel.

A reliable source informed Sunday Tribune that President Goodluck Jonathan had already shown interest in the on-going investigation of the detained suspected hijackers.

The source said the president had called for the file containing the list of the past cases which were not well handled, giving a deadline of Thursday this week.

The President was said to have insisted that appropriate punishment be meted out to those involved, irrespective of their status.

One of the security agencies fingered was said to be under the close watch of the Presidency over its alleged compromising role which had been frustrating the war against the pirates in the past.

via Tribune

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