National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Folake Sokoya
Following reliable information received from some good Nigerians, the Anti-illegal bunkering and Anti-Pipeline Vandalism patrol, troops of 81 Division Nigerian Army swooped in on suspected pipeline vandals at The Magboro area in Ogun state.
While parading the apprehended suspects, the General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Major General Enobong Okon Udoh told reporters that during the hours of darkness,the suspects broke open NNPC petroleum pipelines
” These vandals break open petroleum pipelines to steal refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). They fill up hundreds of jerricans with the products and convey them to their marketing outlets in several, trucks, trailers, buses, cars and vans.”
The troops of 81 Division of the Nigerian Army In conjunction with Department of State Security, Inspector General of Police Task Force Team, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp, Federal Road Safety Corp and the Lagos neighborhood Safety Corps, the armed suspected vandals who were operating along Lagos/ Ibadan Expressway,on sighting the troops approaching their location fired sporadically before abandoning their vehicles loaded with the refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and some empty jerricans and fled to avoid being arrested.
The joint operatives,not relenting, Cordoned the area and a Search Operation was conducted around the vicinity and a total of 24 vehicles comprising of 3 long-trailer trucks, 9 buses, 8 Space Wagons, 1 Hilux van, 3 Salon cars and 4 motorcycles abandoned by the vandals were recovered.
Other items recovered include 166 50-litre Jerry cans loaded with refined PMS, 130 empty 50-litres jerry cans, appropriately 8,300 litres of refined PMS. However, while recovering them, one of the vehicles caught fire and was completely razed.
In same vein, Anti-Illegal bunkering operatives and troops of 81 Division raided another location where suspected vandals were carrying out their sabotage activities along NNPC pipeline at Akute.
The vandals concealed their vehicles with refined oil products and fled on arrival of the troops. During the raid, five (5) suspected vandals were arrested at the scene. Items recovered include: 9 vehicles, comprising 6 buses, 2 heavy trucks storage and one Sports Utility Vehicle.
Some items also recovered include 1 motorcycle, 7 mobile phones, 371 50-litre and 42 25-five litre jerry cans loaded with refined Premium Motor Spirit, 106 empty 50-jerry cans, a hose of about 500 metres in length used for siphoning products with approximately 19,600 litres of stolen PMS being recovered.
Similarly, twelve (12) impostors were arrested by the Special Team of Operation Checkmate at various locations in Lagos and Ogun States while perpetrating various acts of illegality dressed in military uniforms.
It was end of the road for cultists on 8th May 2018, when troops received report of cult-related clashes at Reshe in Ikorodu area of Lagos state.
The Troops on getting there, met a chaotic scene where 7 vehicles were vandalized, properties destroyed and some law abiding citizens injured.
Seven suspected cultists most of whom were of the EIYE Confraternity were arrested by the troops while items recovered from them include: 7 mobile phones, 3 ATM cards, 1 ID card, 8 belts, 1 wallet, 4 rings, 3 wrist watches, black substance suspected to be charms and the sum of N13,080. Additionally, during another Cordon and Search operation conducted at Odokekere general area of Ikorodu, 4 suspected cultists were arrested. The suspected cultists were among those who escaped from the raid carried out on 16 of April 2018 at Eginrin Depression area of Ikorodu during the initiation ceremony.
“All arrested suspected pipeline vandals, impostors and cultists are undergoing preliminary investigations after which they will be handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation and prosecution.” Udoh said.
He pledged not to relent until the area is rid of all forms of cultism, vandalism and other violent criminal activities and their perpetrators and enjoined members of the public to continue to always reach out and call the numbers below to give useful information that will assist in ridding their areas of the activities of pipeline vandals, cultists, impostors and other criminal elements:
