Doomsday for petroleum pipeline vandals in Nigeria

FOR an eight man syndicate that specialized in vandalizing petroleum pipelines and illegally siphoning petroleum products, it was a day of reckoning as they were rounded up by police detectives of  the anti- pipeline vandalization and illegal oil bunkering Task Force attached to the Zone 2 Command Onikan Lagos.
The vandals, eight of them were reportedly rounded up at various locations including Sagamu and Ikorodu while carrying out their nefarious act.

An astonishing 66,000 litres of fuel and three trucks used for the uneconomic activities were recovered form them.  Head of the Task Force Mr. Ben Osuji, a Superintendent of Police (SP) told news men that the arrest followed a tip-off adding that the activities of these vandals have become a source of worry to the federal government and by extension,  the Police.

He said the syndicate was rounded up between December 19, 27 and 28 respectively.  According to him, “The activities of petroleum pipeline vandals and illegal bunkerers have been of serious concern to the government. This is obvious since the economy of the nation is tied to petroleum.   Nobody needs to be told that pipeline vandalzation and illegal oil bunkering amount to economic sabotage; and this is why we are beefing up security at PPMC at Mosimi.
Continuing, SP Osuji said, “On December 19, 2010 at about 4pm, the Zone 2 Anti- pipeline Vandalization and Illegal Oil Bunkering Task Force unit swooped on some suspected illegal bunkerers and pipeline vandals at Ogene\ Ibadan expressway, Ogun state where about 33,000 litres of product suspected to have been vandalized from NNPC pipeline in a truck with registration number XB 170 BBJ were recovered and the following suspects who identified themselves as Messrs Yasha Musa, Sephianu Sanni Ashin Issiaka and Oluwole Atobatele were arrested.
We equally received a tip-off also on December 27, 2010 on  the activities of these disgruntled elements at Ore-road, Ogun state and we promptly swung into action during which two suspects identified as Isah Kehinde and Owolabi Kayode were rounded up. They confessed to have vandalized NNPC pipeline at Ijebu-Ode  using a truck with registration number XV 765 FKJ to commit the crime.
In the same vein, on December 28, 2010, two suspected vandals were also arrested for vandalizing NNPC pipeline along Ogijo\Mosimi area via Ikorodu, Lagos; using truck No XZ 402 AAA.  The suspects made confessional statements regarding the offence committed.  They also gave their names as Olamide Sakami and Adewale Ajayi.  The three trucks were impounded and NNPC\PPMC has taken necessary action regarding the stolen products.  We are using this opportunity to call on good spirited individuals to give the police useful information that will help combat crime.”
But nearly all the suspects claimed innocence of the charges,  maintaining that they were only asked to escort the trucks or forced into the bush to drive the trucks.