Police recover guns in CSO’s office

By Evelyn Usman

Three suspected pipeline vandals arrested in Ilashe area of Ogun state last month by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Unit have confessed that they were hired by a Chief Security Officer at a depot in Mosimi area of Ogun state. The suspects ; Balogun Taiwo(37), Lukemon Adedigba (45) and Dayo Olanipekun (40) were alleged to have been returning from the creeks through Ilashe link , in two vehicles loaded with siphoned petroleum products belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation pipelines.
Suspected vandals

Suspected vandals

However, on sighting the operatives, said to have acted on tip off, the vandals scampered in different directions, abandoning the vehicles and containers loaded with petroleum product. It was gathered that while the operatives were towing the vehicles to their base , they were attacked by some armed vandals who opened fire .

A reinforcement from the Special Anti Robbery Sqaud, SARS Ogijo, reportedly saved the situation from resulting into the apparent kidnap or killing of some of the policemen. At the end of the shoot -out , three suspects were arrested, with a double barrel riffle while the rest escaped. .

During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed that they were allegedly hired by a CSO at the Mosimi depot (names withheld) . Police sources hinted that in order to ascertain their claim, a letter was written to the NNPC to release the said CSO for interrogation . Thereafter , a warrant of arrest was reportedly obtained from the court to effect the arrest of the CSO.

Mild drama

However, a mild drama unfolded when the operatives arrived MOSIMI depot to effect the arrest of the CSO, following alleged stiff resistance by some staff. Sources at the IGP Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Unit hinted that “ We went with the warrant of arrest and a search warrant to Mosimi depot. When a search was conducted at the CSO’s office, three locally made guns were recovered. When we tried to arrest him, one of the staff raised a fire alarm and all the workers assembled and barricaded all the roads, insisting that we would not take him away.

One of the officers who tried to make the exit with the three recovered riffles was held hostage and dispossessed of the guns. The workers threatened to shut the station if he was taken away. To douse the situation, we allowed him to go. Till this moment, the Corporation is yet to release the CSO for investigation”.

CSO’s appeal text to Police

While the wait for the CSO lasted, he was said to have sent an appeal text message to one of the operatives of the Unit.

Part of the text read “ Please, I beg you in the name of God ,to kindly tamper justice with mercy. I made a mistake . That will never happen again. Kindly help to bail me out of this. I am very sorry. God will grant you favour in all your endeavours…”.

We were hired by CSO

However during an interview with Crime Guard the suspects denied indulging in pipeline vandalisation. Rather , they claimed to have been hired by the CSO to carry out surveillance of the area which is used as an exit route through Arepo creeks by vandals. One of them, Balogun Taiwo , who hails from Sango Otta, Ogun State told Crime Guard that “ On November 22, 2015, I was sleeping in my apartment in Shagamu, when my phone rang.

The caller was a friend named Semiu. He informed that the CSO Mosimi said we ( Lukemon, Dayo and I )should come over, that vandals were operating around the area. He said he needed us to arrest them . I woke up immediately and mounted my motorbike. I rode to a place where Dayo and Lukemon were waiting. We met Semiu at the entrance of the NNPC gate . The guards at the gate demanded to know what we were doing at that odd hour (1. 40am ) .

As we were about to explain to them that the CSO sent for us, he (CSO) appeared and directed them to give Semiu keys to their patrol vehicle. We entered the vehicle and zoomed off , leaving my motorbike in the premises. On reaching Ilara road, we saw two vehicles and two okadas (motorcycles ) approaching from the opposite direction . Suspecting they were vandals, Semiu intercepted the vehicles, shooting sporadically. This made the occupants to flee, abandoning the vehicles. We took the vehicles and okada. Semiu then called the CSO on the phone to inform him of the development.

He asked us to remain there till dawn. While we were there , we saw another vehicle moving out of the bush . We gave them a hot pursuit which caused its occupants to flee. We discovered they had loaded their abandoned vehicles with jerricans filled with petroleum products.

Altercation

At about 4am, we saw another vanagon bus leaving the bush , we chased it and the occupants fled as well. As we were about calling the CSO, Anti pipeline policemen arrived the scene. They identified us as those who opened fire on them earlier. They followed us with the recovered vehicles and exhibits to the depot. When the CSO came to meet us at the gate, he directed that the recovered vehicles and petroleum products be kept in the premises. But the Police said it should be taken to the station . This led to an altercation , in the process of which the police towed two of the vehicles away and arrested us.

“We are not vandals. I have never been to the creeks before. This is the second time I am joining them for such surveillance. It was Semiu that invited me the first time. Semiu works for the CSO. He only contracted us to work for him . He has not even paid us . It was only Semiu that was armed. The rest of us were just with torch-lights”.

Lukemon and Dayo corroborated Taiwo’s claim, adding however that they were only given N1000 each before they embarked on the ill fated trip. Effort to reach Head, Public Affairs, Petroleum Product Marketing Company, PPMC Nasir Imodagbe , on the alleged indictment of the CSO failed as he requested this reporter to send him a text. But he never replied the text as at time of writing this report . Meanwhile, when contacted, the head, IGP Anti -Pipeline Vandalism Unit, Mr Valentine Olumese, a Chief Superintendent of Police , told Vanguard that the CSO was still being expected to clear himself of the allegation

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/01/nnpc-depot-cso-hired-us-to-vandalise-pipelines-suspects/

seun, mynd44, lalasticlala

Mark my word, the CSO bn related to NNPC, the case would be buried soon.
Well, the CSO have nt bn interrogated so we can't conclude that he actually sent the people.

.

Alarm don blow

Shitz happenz!

What about the police officers that died? Can he bring them back? All the staff in that depot that barricaded SARS should be fired! He should be arressted for murder and his properties sold or given to the family of the fallen police officers. What nonsense? What mistake? And why is his name withheld?

Time for True Confession

Everything that could go wrong in Nigeria had gone wrong!

"Ti iku ile o ba pani, t'ode o le pani". #yorubaadage

Sad but true, people entrusted with resource most times are the chief offenders.

Activa:
Everything that could go wrong in Nigeria had gone wrong!

And still going wrong bro.

Hmmmm, I smell somethin

If it was in transformation administration they would have succeeded, at the end majority of oil vandalization are linked to high profile Nigerians that wants shortage and hype of price to make extra cash. My Sai Buhari with the right people on ground now in all sectors of the economy will move this nation forward.


Sai Buhari.

A Yoruba proverb goes thus "Kokoro ton je efo, inu efo lowa"... The insect that eats the vegetable, lives in the vegetable.

This story , there are two things involved

Either they really are vandals


or

Police beat the confession out of them

the police will soon start recieving bank alerts from the cso to sweep it under the carpet

jaymejate:
Mark my word, the CSO bn related to NNPC, the case would be buried soon.
Well, the CSO have nt bn interrogated so we can't conclude that he actually sent the people.

Which your word should we mark....if he is found guilty, he would eventually be arrested and nothing will happen. Is he stronger than Dasuki and co. or what are you trying to say?

Day don break for Lagos and China oh.

Where is lalasticlala sef

Someone above CSO also knows about the parol.

The kind of impunity that reigns supreme in Nigeria is legendary! PMB is definitely a prayer answered to Nigeria but it will definitely take a while, strong will and collective efforts for crime and selfishness to leave the shores of this country!

Imagine a CSO that should be in charge of getting things done conniving with bandits to ruin that same thing! An European, American or Asian comes around, reads this thing, laughs his ass off at the gullibility of Africans!

I almost wept about 3 weeks ago when a friend decided to visit Nairaland after seeing the page on my phone!! It was a pathetic show of shame going through threads of negative news about my country together! More disgusting were some of the disgraceful comments on some of this threads!. I mean, I desperately hoped to come across a post from someone like barcanista (not a fan of his political decisions) and/or Gbawe but was left with mostly pathetic rants and write ups from some of the rampaging kids on here!

Nigerians, please change na! Abeg! Please, i'm begging everybody in God's name! Nigerians are basically the leaders of the black race project in Africa to the world! If we get it right, the black race gets it right!!! PLEASE!!

The CSO's involvement shows that most of the pipeline sabotage operations are hatched from within. Saboteurs. I hope he is brought to book.

ITS OBVIOUS THAT THE CSO WAS WORKING IN LEAGUE WITH HIGHER AUTHORITY. INTACT, THE DEPOT STAFF ARE IN IT TOGETHER.

Summary please

No need for long talk, make una sharply carry CSO, He must sit on a round table with Bubu

Hmmm...

No bail for this one too o...PMB over to you

hmmm

Naija I hail o

This is no news to us. Let them be arrested and prosecuted asap!!!

Na wa o.

Ala adighi mma bu uru ndi eze! Economic saboteurs and sabotage. In PEJ VOICE, DIA IS GOD O

This is funny oooo