The officials of Nigerian Naval Ship (NNS) Beecroft, of the Nigerian Navy (NN) yesterday paraded two indigenes of Benin Republic and three others for pipeline vandalism and recovered 270 kegs of 50 litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
The five suspected pipeline vandals were arrested for allegedly syphoning petroleum products from a ruptured pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at Makoko and were conveying them to the Third Mainland bridge area of Iyana Oworo.
This is coming at the heels of another raid by the personnel from NNS Beecroft, led by the Commander, Commodore Chris Ezekobe, where five pipeline vandals including a nursing mother were arrested and three boats laded with 126 jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) recovered.
The recent arrest brings to about 20 suspected pipeline vandals that have been arrested by the Nigerian Navy in Lagos alone last month.
While the Beninoise were identified as 27-year-old Juten Seiki and Joseph Logbo, the other suspects were 25-year-old Olusegun Timothy, 29-year-old Victor Sopha and Bababo Orisabinone.
Confirming the arrest of the suspects who are currently under detention at the guard room of NNS Beecroft, Ezekobe said the suspects would handed over to either the police or civil defence for prosecution.
Ezekobe who was represented by the Base Operation Officer, Commander Tanko Lengaya, said these arrests are in line with the Strategic Guidance 01 of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, which stipulates that the maritime domain be rid of crude oil theft and other ilegalities.
He said, " For these suspects, we got information about their activities weeks back at the Makoko lagoon and on the very day of their arrest, our men were deployed there as early 3am.
"When our patrol boats from Atlas Cove got there, they (the suspects) were already in action and they were intercepted and arrested. We then brought them to the base for interrogation."
He added, "At the time of the arrest, about 270 kegs of 50 litre cans filled with PMS, 40 empty ones and three boats were found in their possession.
"During interrogation, they mentioned the names of those they supply to and we are currently investigating. Once we are done, we will round them up and hand over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution."
However, the suspects maintained their innocence, stressing that they were only helping a man to convey the products for a fee of N5000 for each trip.
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