Men of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Igbokoda, Ondo State, over the weekend, intercepted and destroyed 15,775 litres of stolen crude oil in the Ilaje axis of the state.

The Commanding Officer of the base, Captain Wasuku Alushi, who estimated the value of the products to be N13,251,000, said the operation was carried out by the anti-Crude Oil Theft (COT) patrol team.

According to Commander Humphrey Nnaji, who spoke on behalf of Alushi, the products were destroyed in accordance with the mandate of the joint taskforce Operation Delta Safe on COT.

He emphasised that the team had received intel on illegal bunkering within the axis, after which a wooden boat popularly known as a “Cotonou” laden with crude oil was tracked and intercepted.

“The wooden boat was intercepted about 12 nautical miles (NM) off the coast of the adjoining Ojumole and Obe communities in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. On sighting naval personnel, the crew abandoned the boat and fled,” he said.

While reiterating the commitment of the base to stamp out the menace of COT and other crimes in Igbokoda and its environs, he maintained that the base will intensify surveillance within the axis.

No fewer than four male adults have sustained severe injuries in an accident involving a Lexus car along Liasu Road in the Idimu area of Lagos State.

The incident happened on Sunday at about 5 am.

The vehicle was said to be moving at top speed when it lost control, swerved off the road and rammed into a shop opposite a Catholic church in the area.

The impact of the crash also damaged a building behind the shop thereby affecting some of its occupants who were still asleep.

Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the occupants sustained varying degrees of injury in the process.

An eyewitness, Sodiq Aderemi, said the injured victims were labourers who were employed to work in the building situated on the premises.

He said, “The vehicle was coming from the Council bus stop when it got to this point and crashed into the shop. It destroyed all the goods in the shop. The people living in the building behind the shop were labourers and they were close to 15. They work in an uncompleted building on the premises and sleep there at night. While four of them were seriously injured, two others fell unconscious. They were later resuscitated after a while. The bricks of the fence fell on them while they were still sleeping.”

Another resident who identified himself only as Abidemi said the car was stopped by an electric pole which was also damaged in the process.

He said, “The accident would have been fatal if not for an electric pole that stopped it. Thank God, it also happened in the daytime and not when the owner of the shop was in there. However, she was called this morning that her shop had been destroyed and she came around with her husband. They have gone to report the incident at the police station.

The injured victims were said to have been taken to the hospital where they are currently receiving treatment.

Although the driver escaped unhurt, he was nabbed by residents while trying to run away from the scene of the incident.

One of the residents, Adekunle Daisi, who stopped him from running away said, “The occupants of the car were three. Two of them escaped while one of them was caught. He was brought back to the point where the accident happened. Some aggrieved persons wanted to set the car on fire and also lynch him before they were later prevented from doing so. He was later forced to follow the injured victims to the hospital where he was told to pay for their hospital bills.”

Some of the victims who sustained minor injuries were also treated at the hospital and discharged immediately.

The police had yet to arrive as of the time our correspondent left the scene of the incident.