Local Government arrests food vendor with 47 kegs of fuel

The Ojodu Local Council Development Area of Lagos State on Monday apprehended a middle-aged man in the Ogba area, Innocent Nwevo, with 47 kegs of Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as Petrol.
Executive Secretary of the council, Mallam Ahmed Jaji, said a combined team of members of the Caretaker Committee and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, attached to the LCDA, arrested the culprit.
Jaji said the team acted on a tip off that a tenant in a shop, opposite the Sunday Retail Market, Ogba, was stockpiling and engaging in illegal sale of petroleum product in the area.
He added that being a resident of the area, he mobilised his team for an on-the-spot assessment of the place.
The council boss explained that the team uncovered several kegs of petrol, carefully concealed behind foodstuffs and other commodities in the shop, adding that to avoid being mobbed, the team took both the culprit and the exhibit to the council.
Jaji said, “We thank God that an action that could put our lives and property in jeopardy was averted today. Who knows what could have happened if this bunkerer was not apprehended or imagine, a keg, out of the several kegs burst into flame? The whole environment and this area would have been in crisis.
“Thank God, we were able to avert this.  However, having succeeded in nailing the culprit, our next line of action is to hand him over to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for further necessary action.  Though, I have at the same time intimated the relevant government agencies, especially the Lagos State Government, about the discovery.”
Nwevo, who claimed to be a food vendor, admitted that he knew that the business was illegal.
He explained that due to his dwindling business, he was introduced to petrol business by one Mr. John, who resides in the Mowe area of Ogun State.
Nwevo added that he had six shops in the area, claiming that those working with him, went away with his money, making things difficult for him.
He said he bought the fuel from the Mowe area and sold 50 litres for about N5,000