06 February 2012, Sweetcrude, JOS – A federal high in Plateau State has found three persons involved in vandalism of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline at Tega village in Bassa Local Government Area of the state guilty and sentenced them to six months imprisonment.
The court, sitting in Bassa, postponed judgment of the other two members of the group to January 13. They were consequently remanded in custody.
According to the court, the judgement on the three would act as a warning to others engaged in vandalism of government property.
The five suspects were arrested last week by officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) with 15 drums loaded with siphoned oil from the pipeline.
Mr. Desmond Agu, Plateau State Commandant of NSCDC, urged Nigerians to protect government’s property and prevent vandals from attacking them.
He said some Nigerians were sabotaging government’s efforts at stopping vandalism, stating that the organisation would prosecute anyone or group that attacks government property.
Agu said: “Daniel Adamu, Abbas Bawa, Mubarak Abubakar, Ya’u Isa and Ibrahim Adams were arrested at Tega village of Bassa Local Government Area.’
