THE Nigerian Civil Defense and Security
Corps, (NCDSC ) , Delta State Command has
arrested seven suspected oil pipeline
vandals while ferrying 66, 000 liters of crude
oil from the state to neighbouring Anambra
state .
The suspects: Muhammadu Abdulkareem ,
Ifeanyi Agbo , Augustine Asemota , Endurance
Mordi, Ajulo Sunday , Ifeanyi Illoh and
Chiemer Ikechukwu , were arrested along
Kwale- Nssukwa road in Delta state on
Saturday .
Mrs. Beatrice Irabor, The state
Commandant , who paraded the suspects at
the headquarters of the command in Asaba
said tanker truck , driven by Muhammadu
Abdulkareem and assisted by Ifeanyi Agbo
containing 33, 000 liters of stolen crude oil
was seized.
She narrated that the Anti-Vandal Squad of
the NCDSC caught the suspects while
transporting the product in their truck and
container lorries with registration numbers ,
Delta LEH 206 XA , Delta 325 SKL and Edo
Auc 62 XA respectively, she said ,
“ The other two container trucks were also
loaded with 33,000 liters . They were
arrested at about 3a .m by our Anti- Vandals
Squad while conveying the illegal product to
Onitsha in Anambra state .”
She advised vandals and their sponsors
to abandon the crime or be forced out of it in
due course, “proper investigation will be
carried out on the suspects , after that,
prosecution will take place in accordance
with the law ,” she stated.
However , following the Inspector-General of
Police’ s directives on the strengthening of
security on the highways, the Delta State
Commissioner of Police , Usman Baba , on
Saturday allayed the fears of the residents
in the state by launching Safer Highways
Patrol Teams.
He dismissed the speculation that the
withdrawal of military check points across
the state and nationwide would not lead to
increase of crime.
“ The command wishes to use this medium
to inform the general public and road users
that although the ban on road blocks on the
highway is still in force , patrol men could
occasionally embark on stop and search as
part of crime preventive and detective
mechanisms ” , he said.