Men of the Nigerian Navy have arrested 10 suspected pipeline vandals while attempting to steal crude from the sea in Lagos.
The suspects were arrested in the early hours of Sunday at the Single Point Mooring buoy, a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited’s facility where tankers unload products, which are eventually transferred into tank farms for distribution.
They were arrested in three speedboats with over 100 pieces of 50-litre jerry cans with hoses connected to drain the product from the vessel.
The Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Kolawale Oguntuga, paraded the suspects at the NNS Beecroft Naval Base parade ground, Apapa Lagos on Monday before handing them over to the Area Commander of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Musa Jubril.
Oguntuga said, “In the early hours of Sunday, the technology electronically detected intruders on board the SBM operated by the NNPCL. Immediately a patrol team was activated and on getting there, 10 suspected vandals and oil thieves were found onboard this facility with divers equipment; pumping machines and hoses to steal crude products, and they were apprehended.
“We are here today to hand over these oil thieves to the public security agency to carry out their due diligence.
“They were arrested around 2am on board the facility with over 100 pieces of 50-litre jerry cans. Some were already inside while others were on the boat controlling and channelling the hoses into the cans.”
Jubril of the NSCDC appreciated the Navy for the good work they had been doing, stressing that the agency will unravel the sponsors of the thieves.
Punch