Calabar — Soldiers from the 13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army alongside Sector 3 Opulo Shield of the Joint Task Force have arrested the owner of MRS petrol station, a police sergeant and 20 persons alleged to be involved in illegal bunkering at the Marina Jetty in Calabar.

The PRO of the Brigade, Captain Joseph James confirmed that the security agents raided the jetty at about 1.00am yesterday following an intelligence report, adding that among the suspects were two others with MRS staff uniform, a female and another pump attendant.

He said the suspects were presently detained at the Brigade headquarters and would be handed over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps after rounds of interrogation.

He said they impounded 375 drums of diesel both at the jetty and at the filling station located on No 74 Mayne Avenue, Calabar, three vehicles with registration numbers CR XA 318 mini bus, CR XA 836 DUK belonging to CROSSLINE and AK XA 217 and three wooden boats used to convey the drums of oil from the Calabar waters to the Marina jetty, and that the seized drums would be burnt at Ikang in Bakassi where the JTF has a burning site.

Capt James said the alleged police officer, Sergeant Sunday Kamalu from Abia was caught with a service pistol containing five rounds of ammunition but was on mufti when arrested while the second policeman, an Inspector, escaped but his identity card showed that his name is EyoEdet with service no.132524.