Rita Odafe
In a recent incident, a Nigerian man named Odogwu Chibuzor was shot while attempting to illegally siphon diesel.
Chibuzor was caught in the act at the Dangote Cement plant located in Ibese, Ogun State, where he attempted to steal diesel along with several accomplices. While the majority of the suspects managed to escape, Chibuzor was apprehended on site.
A police source, who wished to remain anonymous due to restrictions on sharing information, revealed that the head of the security at the facility, Egbunu Usman, informed the Dangote Police Post after the incident involving the individual who was injured during the attempted theft.
According to the report, the theft took place around 11:00 pm on Wednesday when four armed assailants, equipped with a Dane gun and other weapons, infiltrated the plant’s Section 3 & 4.
Eyewitnesses noted that the gang, each carrying empty jerrycans, had filled three containers with diesel before security personnel intervened.
As the group attempted to flee, the security staff shot at them, wounding one suspect while the others escaped. A video later surfaced showing Chibuzor admitting to the crime during questioning by a security member.
During his confession, Chibuzor stated:
“My name is Odogwu Chibuzor. I am originally from Enugu State, currently residing in the Balogun community. Our group has over 20 members, though only five were involved in this attempt. We had five jerrycans. I wasn’t aware that one of my friends had a gun,” he admitted.
“This was my first time participating with them. We were in the process of filling the third jerrycan when we saw the security guards and learned that some drivers had been bribed in the past,” Chibuzor confessed.
When contacted for a statement regarding the incident, Dangote Group representative Tony Chiejina requested a text message for further clarification. In response, he assured he would investigate the situation and provide feedback later.
“I will check and get back to you,” he communicated.
As of the report’s publication, Chiejina had yet to respond promptly to the inquiry.
Meanwhile, Ogun State Police spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, confirmed that Chibuzor received medical treatment for his gunshot wound at Ilaro General Hospital before being taken into custody.
Odutola added, “The suspect was treated for a bullet wound to his back. A brief video documenting his confession has been recorded. The lone Dane gun used in the crime and the five jerrycans intended for diesel theft have been recovered. We are working closely with local security forces to find the others who escaped.”
This incident echoes a similar robbery attempt in 2017, where police shot and killed several suspects who attempted to steal armoured cables from the same company.
