Troops Restore Calm After Diesel Theft Incident in Akwa Ibom

On March 27, 2023, at approximately 6:50 AM, troops from the 2 Brigade responded to intelligence reports regarding illegal siphoning of diesel belonging to Sterl Petroleum Fertil Limit Company in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. During the operation, troops arrested a driver conveying the stolen diesel.

Following the arrest, local youth barricaded roads in an attempt to free the suspect, which escalated into unrest. The situation intensified when the youth allegedly threw bottles and stones at the troops, prompting the military to fire warning shots to disperse the crowd.

A suspected ringleader was identified and sustained gunshot injuries to the leg, requiring evacuation to a hospital. Reports indicated that the youth vandalized vehicles and attacked a company truck in the area.

Reinforcements were deployed to restore order. Subsequently, troops discovered unidentified corpses believed to be linked to the driver, which were placed beside the corpses and evacuated to a mortuary.

Police investigations are ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.