LAGESC Busts Lekki Oil Bunkering Syndicate, Arrests 27 With Fake Naira Notes
The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) has shut down the operations of a growing oil bunkering syndicate and arrested 27 individuals found with fake naira notes during an enforcement operation, as part of ongoing efforts to enhance public safety and maintain environmental order in Lagos State.
The Corps Marshal, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd.), disclosed this at the Agency’s headquarters in Bolade-Oshodi.
He explained that the operation took place on Wednesday at The Rock Drive, Lekki Phase 1, following intelligence reports on the activities of an unlicensed depot and illegal oil bunkering site that had been negatively impacting the environment. The location, he noted, also served as a hideout for miscreants who used counterfeit naira notes to defraud unsuspecting vendors at night.
Major Cole (Rtd) said operatives from LAGESC’s special squad raided the enclave, which the syndicate used for storing, adulterating, and distributing petroleum products.
He highlighted the severe environmental and safety risks posed by the illegal operations, including potential fire outbreaks, soil contamination, and danger to residents and nearby businesses. Several makeshift storage structures, drums, and jerry cans filled with adulterated diesel were discovered at the site.
He emphasized the need to immediately halt all illegal storage and bunkering activities, noting that operatives dismantled unlawful supply connections and took possession of the premises. A total of 27 suspects operating within the compound and transacting with fake currency were arrested.
The Corps Marshal reaffirmed LAGESC’s commitment to reducing environmental infractions across the state by sustaining consistent monitoring and enforcement in alignment with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ agenda.
Major Cole (Rtd) also urged pedestrians to make use of pedestrian bridges strategically located across Lagos to prevent avoidable fatalities caused by speeding motorists on major highways.
