A MOBILE policeman and one soldier were among 29 persons arrested by a federal task for offences ranging from pipeline vandalisation to oil theft. They were arrested at various locations in Edo and Delta states. Two other mobile policemen also caught in the act, however, escaped and have been declared wanted by the task force on pipeline vandalisation.
The policemen had allegedly chartered a commercial bus driven by one Uzebu Eguabon, to help them convey several jerry cans of stolen fuel from a vandalised pipeline in a bush in Edo State.
However, when the task force team swooped on them, the other two policemen fled into the bush. One of them and the driver of the bus were however arrested along with some other persons. The task force also intercepted a truck at Oghara in Ethiope West Local Council of Delta State loaded with 53 drums of AGO or diesel.
According to the Commander of the task force on pipeline vandalisation in Edo and Delta states, Mr. Sam Okaula, a chief superintendent of police (CSP), the truck conveying the 53 drums was intercepted by the Military Joint Task Force (JTF) on Niger Delta which handed the vandals over to them because of the mutual rapport existing between the two outfits.
“It is either the owner of the 53 drums of AGO is a bunkerer or a vandal. Right now, the owner of the 53 drums of AGO is with us, we are interrogating him, he has mentioned some names in Benin, we have gone out there to effect the arrest of such people,” Okaula said
Several tools, including drill devices, pumping machines, boat engines, clamps, wheelbarrows and a variety of hoses used for oil theft were impounded by the task force.
It was learnt that in one swoop by the task force at an undisclosed spot, the vandals escaped, abandoning two of their boats, which allegedly caught fire. The engines were, however, retrieved from the boats.
Okaula said: “Recently, we were able to make a breakthrough in terms of arrest of vandals and recovery of tools. On April 7, somewhere in Benin, a soldier, who abandoned his duty post in Lagos, was caught indulging in pipeline vandalisation.
“We have written to his formation to find out whether he was a soldier or not. From the interrogation so far with him, we discovered he had abandoned his duty post for two months and has been involved in acts of vandalisation around Benin. He is in our cell now.”
He disclosed that 10 suspects were caught “red-handed” tampering with pipelines in Auchi. At Ibada-Elume in Delta State, three suspects were arrested while vandalising pipelines.
Also, five suspects, including a policeman, were arrested in Ekpoma. “The policeman was supposed to be a driver. We don’t know how he connived with vandals. He was caught with them. He is in our cell,” Okaula said. Two persons were also arrested for a similar offence at the Jetty Camp near the PPMC depot in Warri.
Apr272006