12 July 2013, Lagos – The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ondo State Command have arrested six suspected oil pipeline vandals.
The suspects were arrested at Caravan, Ago Odigbo village after tollgate in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, Wednesday.
Two trucks with number plates XB 208 SGD EDO and XA 341 MAK Niger, one pumping machine, hose used for siphoning fuel from the vandalised NNPC pipeline and two motorcycles were recovered from them.
This was contained in a statement made in Akure by the Public Relations Officer of the state command, Mr Kayode Balogun.
The suspects, according to him, are Ashile Salami, Moruf Oluodunni, Usman Seidu, Raphael Ayanmonina, Abraham Nwadike and Joseph Enabulele.
Balogun said the anti-vandal unit of the command on a routine surveillance patrol of the NNPC pipeline at Ago Odigbo area caught the suspects in the act at 12:45 a.m.
He said they have successfully vandalized the pipeline and connected the hose to the pipeline and pumping machine siphoning premium motor spirit, PMS, into their truck.
Balogun added that “as at the time they were caught, Conoil truck with the registration number XB 208 SGD, EDO has been loaded with 33,000 litres of PMS.
Parading the suspects and the exhibits before the news men at the state command headquarters, Alagbaka, Akure, the state Commandant, Alhaji Popoola Waheed Bamidele warned that he would leave no stone unturned in his efforts at ending oil pipeline vandalism and all other forms of bunkering activities in the state.
Bamidele urged the good people of Ondo state to give the Corps timely information that will help to arrest the saboteur of the nation’s economy.The commandant said the suspects will be charged to court immediately for prosecution.
– Vanguard.