The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has arrested three vandals that specialises in attacking and carting away vandalised materials within the NNPC pipelines in Enugu.
The Public Relations Officer of NSCDC Enugu State Command, CSP Denny Manuel, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Enugu.
Manuel said that on Sept. 6 Chukwuemeka Okechukwu was arrested at No. 15 Colliery Avenue behind IBTC Bank premises with vandalized products suspected to be solar component meant for streetlights.
The NSCDC spokesman disclosed that Okechukwu claimed to be a dealer in scraps, adding that the materials the suspect was arrested with were not scraps.
“During further investigation, residence of the area testified that he has been terrorizing the area with his gang members who are now at large.
“Investigation is ongoing and he will be charged to court soon,’’ he said.
In a related development, another vandal, Mr Ikenna Nneji, was arrested for bursting the NNPC petroleum pipeline, while there was a series of test-run of petroleum shipment in the pipe.
Manuel said that Nneji was caught in the act in Akpugo community in Nkanu West Local Government Area with three 25 litres of jerry cans filled with petroleum product from the broken pipeline.
“Other items recovered from the suspect instantly were six empty 25 litres jerry cans, a matchete, one shovel, one torch-light, two buckets and a funnel.
“Nneji revealed that he was recruited into the illicit business by one Sunday Ogbodo, who uses his tipper to convey the stolen petroleum product after the pipeline must have been attacked and petroleum scooped.
“The suspect took our men to Ogbodo’s house and identified the tipper (Mercedes Benz 1513 model) with registration number UWN 424 YT used in carrying out the illicit business,’’ he said.
Manuel said that both suspects had been charged to court. (NAN)
