Navy hands over 5 suspected oil thieves, 680 Jerry cans of petrol to NSCDC

The Nigerian Navy in Lagos handed over five suspected pipeline vandals with 680 jerry cans filled with petroleum products to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), for investigation.

The Commander, Forward Operation Base, Badagry, Capt. Olusina Ojebode, who handed over the suspects to the corps, said they were arrested at the Dadi Village in Badagry, Lagos State.

“The suspects were arrested with 680 jerry cans of 30litres each of petrol by our operatives, following a tip-off.

“The vandals were arrested on March 20 along Badagry waterways for illegally dealing in petroleum products suspected to have been scooped from vandalised pipeline.

“Our men swung into action on a tip off and we deployed our patrol boats and they were intercepted.

“Having certified that they were up to illegality because of the number of petroleum products they had, we interrogated them.

“The suspects could not provide any useful information on how they got the products. They only said they were taking it across the border to Benin Republic,’’ he said.

Ojebode further said: “we started the operation around 11 am and we finished it around 8am the next day’’.

“During the interrogation, they said they were bringing the product from a village in Atlas Cove,” he said.

Ojebode said the Nigerian Navy was responsible for maritime security including areas of pipeline protection and vandalism, adding that prosecution could not be carried out without the NSCDC.

“We have always been working with the NSCDC and other prosecuting agencies for the prosecution of people that were arrested in the cause of vandalism of pipelines,” he said.

Receiving the suspects, the NSCDC Area Commander, Lagos West, Ajiboye Musa, said the suspects would be charged to court after due investigation.

He, however, warned people to desist from such acts.