29 March 2014, Lagos — Police detectives attached to the Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalisation Unit have arrested two persons over the fire outbreak at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation pipeline at Ilare/Imagbon axis in Ikorodu area of Lagos on March 20, 2014.
The duo, identified as Rotanna Ifeanyi and Soji Omomoyesan and others still at large were said to have ignited fire while attempting to extract petrol from the damaged pipes.
The suspects allegedly fled the scene before security operatives and fire fighters could arrive. The suspects were said to have been arrested by policemen from the unit in Lagos with the aid of members of the community who trailed them to the house of a herbalist, where they allegedly ran to receive treatment for the burns they sustained.
In his statement, one of the suspects, Rotanna, 22, alleged that he was lured into the crime by his friend, Tony Olabanji.
On the cause of fire, Rotanna said: “It was another suspect, Jide, who caused the fire outbreak. There was an argument over who was to fetch before the other when Jide mistakenly threw the cigarette in his hand down.”
On his part, the second suspect, Soji, 40, who hails from Imayin, Igbokoda area of Ondo State, said he was arrested by members of a vigilante group in the community.
Confirming the arrest, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Friday Ibadin, who is in charge of the task force, said they got information that there was a fire outbreak at the pipeline, adding, “policemen led by the Lagos sector commander, DSP Samson Olawoyin, moved to the scene. Some of the vandals ran away when they realized that their game was up while some were roasted to death.”
– Daily Trust