“I bribed policemen with N200k,”-  Driver who burnt tanker after diverting 33,000L of diesel

24-year-old Osas Uwagie of Edo state origin and a tanker driver with a Lagos based oil and gas company, has blamed his actions on bad company and poverty. He was en-route Abuja to supply the said products.

He, however, diverted the tanker to Okene in Kogi State, where he sold 400 litres to one of his clients for N230,000 cash, and sold the remaining 32, 600 litres on credit, to another filling station in the same location, for N1.5m

Speaking to newsmen after his arrest, Osas said: “I drove to Okene, Kogi State, stopped at a particular location there and sold off 400 litres for N230,000. While I was driving out from the spot, I was stopped by the police.

They asked me a few questions for which I couldn’t give appropriate answers. They then started suspecting that I had diverted the tanker. I came out straight and told them the truth. I gave them N200,000 to let me go. I sold the remaining litres to another filling station.

Surprisingly, after discharging the diesel, they told me there was no cash on ground and requested I leave my account number, that they would get back to me. I then asked them what would happen to the truck and they said it was best I set it ablaze and disappear.”

Osas had worked with the company for more than two years and was even trained as a tanker driver by the company. The tanker which was set ablaze, had just been acquired by the organization. The total cost of the diesel and the truck was put at about N22m.