Four Suspects Arrested For Stealing Aviation Fuel At Abuja Airport, Offering Police Officer N500,000 Bribe
A group of suspects was apprehended for allegedly stealing aviation fuel from the Aerotan Hanger tank at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The suspects attempted to bribe the police with N500,000 to halt the investigation and avoid prosecution, but the offer was rejected by the officers.
The arrest was made by SP Umar Sani and his team during a routine patrol at the airport. The suspects were caught with a Honda sedan carrying 50 jerry cans of Jet A1 aviation fuel. According to CSP Daramola Kazeem, spokesperson for the Airport Command of the Nigeria Police Force, the suspects were intercepted around 3 a.m. on November 6, 2024, when the vehicle was stopped for a routine check.
During questioning, the suspects confessed that the aviation fuel had been siphoned from the Aerotan Hanger tank at the airport. This confession led to the arrest of three additional accomplices: Abdulahi Jibril, 26; Kabiru Hassan, 25; and Habibu Abdulrahaman, 42, in various locations across Abuja.
The Commissioner of Police for the Airport Command, CP Aminu Baba Raji, praised the officers for their integrity in rejecting the bribe. He noted that their actions align with the anti-corruption stance of the Nigeria Police Force under Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
The seized fuel, valued at approximately N2 million, has been impounded. The police have stated that the investigation is nearly complete, and the suspects will soon be arraigned in court for prosecution.
