Everyday for the thief, One day for the owner.

An Army officer on Tuesday told an Abuja Federal High Court that 26 alleged crude oil thieves were apprehended along the Lokoja-Abuja Road based on the intelligence report before military authorities.

The oil thieves were arrested with 14 tankers loaded with crude oil on March 11, 2013 by a patrol team of the Nigerian Army at a checkpoint in Piri.

The suspects are currently being prosecuted on four counts of sabotage.

At the continuation of the trial on Tuesday, a prosecution witness, Lt. Mohammed Sani, informed the court that the military team  arrested the suspects after receiving information on their nefarious activities.

Sani told Justice Elvis Chukwu that on arrival at the Army checkpoint, the accused persons offered N20,000 as bribe for each of the 14 tankers in order to avoid the attention of the soldiers on duty.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Mrs. R.  Ayodele, the witness said the accused persons were arrested, photographed with their tankers and moved to a military location for interrogation.

He informed the court that the army authorities later invited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to further interrogate and prosecute the accused persons.

The witness also said the 14 tankers and the bribe money were handed over to the EFCC to aid their investigations.