Suspected Rivers diesel thief dies in tank

The body of a security guard identified as Uche was found inside a diesel tank at a telecommunications facility in Rumaholu community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

PUNCH Metro gathered on Tuesday that Uche who worked as a guard at the facility reportedly fell into the tank last Saturday night but his body was found on Monday.

Residents of the area said they last saw him on Saturday and began searching for him only to discover his lifeless remains on Monday morning.

It was alleged that the security man had gone to steal the diesel in the tank and mistakenly slipped, leading to his sad end as there was no one to rescue him.
One of the residents who pleaded anonymity told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that they found the victim’s slippers near the diesel tank while the gate of the facility which he guarded was left open which made them check the tank where his body was found.
He said, “When I came to the shop this morning, a brother of the landlord told me that this man (the deceased) was trying to steal diesel from the place on Saturday night.

“And along the line, they don’t know how it happened and he fell inside the tank. When they didn’t see him throughout Sunday, they started searching for him and came to the place where he worked.
“They discovered that the protector was open and their security house was also open. They saw the clothes that he removed and his slippers. They also saw that the diesel tank was open and that he fell inside.”

Our correspondent reports that Uche’s family and representatives of the telecommunications company had filed a complaint with the police.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, proved abortive as her mobile phone number was not reachable, even as she had yet to reply to a text message sent to her as of the time of filing this report.