Three In JTF Net For Oil Theft …UPTH Discharges Nine Okogbe Fire Victims

The Joint Military Task Force (JTF), code named ‘Operation
Pulo Shield” has arrested a notorious oil thief who sells illegally refined
petroleum products to motorists.

The man, Marcus Francis, a native of Ado Ekiti in Ekiti
State, operates a filling station at Isokpo and resides in Omagwa, Ikwerre
Local Government Area of Rivers State.

In addition , two ladies who sell for Francis at the filling
station were also arrested.

Speaking to newsmen, the spokesman, 2 Brigade Nigerian Army,
Capt Sunny Samuel said the trio were arrested last Thursday during a raid by
the taskforce.

The Army spokesman said the suspects would be handed over to
the appropriate authorities for prosecution while the filling station had been
sealed-off.

Meanwhile, nine of the Okogbe fire disaster victims
hospitalised at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) are
now in stable condition.

Chairman of the health emergency committee and Chief Medical
Director of UPTH, Prof Aaron Ojule stated this when the Commissioner for
Health, Dr Sampson Parker visited the fire victims.

Prof Ojule applauded the state government for its
assistance, and expressed the hope that more equipment would be procured to
meet the challenges of emergency.

The Commissioner for Health commended the health emergency
team for saving the lives of the nine victims.

Said he: “I believe that if we always put our best, we can
actually do things for our people and this issue of sending people abroad and
everything will be a thing of the past”.

The surgeon in-charge of burns section at the UPTH, Dr
Benjamin Kejeh advised the families and relatives of other victims of the
Okogbe fire incident to come forward for medical assistance at the UPTH.

“For us and the nurses at the hospital, we have vowed to do
our best and with the good support from the government, we have been able to
get all the things we wanted for the survival of the victims”, he said.

Shedie Okpara