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Tag: Pipeline vandals

  • Civil Defence nabs five suspected oil pipeline vandals

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Delta State Command, said it has arrested five suspected vandals of oil pipes.

    Parading the suspects before reporters, the state Commandant, Mrs. Isi Irabor, said they were nabbed in parts of the state.

    She said NSCDC had resolved to eradicate oil theft, illegal bunkering and other crimes.

    Irabor said the corps was doing its best to reduce pipeline vandalism.

    She said two of the suspects, John Andrew and John Matthew, were apprehended in Warri South Local Government in possession of a locally-fabricated boat popularly called Cotonou.

    The commandant said the boat was loaded with 70,000 litres of crude oil.

    She said Frank Oweifawer was arrested in Warri South Council with five drums of a substance suspected to be illegally-refined AGO in a speed boat.

    Irabor said each of the drums contained 200 litres of AGO.

    She said Friday Ichigbua and Frank Obaje were nabbed in Ndokwa East with a truck containing a substance suspected to be illegally-refined AGO.

    The commandant said the suspects would be arraigned after investigations.

    She advised vandals and other criminals to desist or relocate from the state.

    Irabor assured the people that NSCDC had deployed men and logistics to ensure a crime-free Yuletide.

    She appealed to the citizens to feel free to report suspected persons, movements or objects to security agencies for action.

     

  • Death penalty for pipeline vandals?

    Death penalty for pipeline vandals?

    THE Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 2, Abdulmajeed Ali, on Monday indicated to the media that the federal government could prescribe capital punishment for pipeline vandals if things continued to look scary in the waterways and creeks. The vandals are not militants, he says, but robbers, hoodlums and kidnappers in disguise. He was not definitive about the proposal, nor did he indicate how soon that proposal could be tabled. He also did not disclose the identity of those sponsoring that drastic proposal. Given the scale of the problem of pipeline vandalism, especially in the light of the military operations in the Arepo, Ebute-Ibafo and Ikorodu axis of Ogun and Lagos States, it is not surprising that such measures are being contemplated in certain government circles. After all, in some one-party democracies such as China, economic sabotage attracts capital punishment.

    There is no doubt the scale of pipeline sabotage in many parts of the country is simply staggering and, like treasury looting, deserves the harshest treatment to extirpate it. There is also no doubt that the slothful handling of the problem had encouraged vandals to turn pipeline sabotage into an industry. And given the economic downturn being experienced in the country, it is absolutely intolerable for a few to be allowed to expropriate the resources of the majority.  It is therefore sensible for those saddled with law enforcement, and indeed all long-suffering Nigerians, to desire the harshest punishment for pipeline vandalism.

    But once capital punishment has been prescribed for pipeline vandalism, there is no higher punishment left to seek. In fact, contrary to the logic that underpins it, that penalty lures the society into complacency, believing that that heaviest of punishments is enough deterrence. Tragically, it is often not. Indeed, it reflects poor, unscientific thinking, and slow and lazy law enforcement . Some states have instituted capital punishment for kidnapping, but that crime has become even more widespread, vicious and entrenched. Capital punishment has been in place for decades for armed robbery, but it has not had a dent on the crime, not even with proven extrajudicial killing of suspects, some of them framed. These crimes are doubtless horrendous, and the society is rightly desperate to want to bring them to heel. But it is time to study these crimes and, rather than the ad hoc and emotive approach to controlling them, design appropriate and more effective controls and punishment.

    Campaigning for capital punishment for pipeline vandalism is a knee-jerk reaction to a crime that should not have been allowed to morph into a deadly and desperate crime in the first instance. Wearied citizens and harassed security agencies celebrate dramatic battles against crimes like the ongoing campaigns against pipeline vandals in the Southwest, Boko Haram in the Northeast, and militants in the Niger Delta. But these crimes, especially the huge monsters they have become, reflect the poverty of thinking in high places and the impotence, if not collusion, of the government in fighting them. There will always be crime: if not armed robbery, then kidnapping, and if not kidnapping, then pipeline sabotage. What these crimes call for is not simply to look for the harshest deterrence but to engage a scientific approach to combating them, beginning from a scientific study of the crimes to understanding their nature and causes, and to designing remedial measures and punishment in order to achieve a lasting impact on them. For once death penalty fails to provide the deterrence the government expects, the temptation to throw hands in the air in despair and resignation is strong and irresistible.

    It is time to embrace the right, but perhaps hard, approach. There are many crimes the death penalty has not resolved. Adding pipeline vandalism to it is a barren and escapist exercise that demonstrate the poverty of thinking that suffuses Nigeria. The country should more sensibly think its way out of the crimes that buffet it. Death penalty has never been a useful and potent deterrence. It won’t acquire that desired image with pipeline vandalism.

  • Pipeline vandals have been decimated – Army Commander

    The Nigerian Army  (NA) Thursday said activities of pipeline vandals around Lagos have been drastically reduced and the hoodlums decimated.

    Outgone Commander, 9 Brigade, Gen. Bulama Biu stated this while handing over to his successor, Gen. Sani Mohammed at the command’s headquarters.

    He noted that despite the myriad challenges the command had to grapple when he took over, the loyalty and commitment of the officers and soldiers led to their overcoming them.

    Biu who was posted to Calabar to head the 13 Brigade expressed confidence that his successor was a worthy officer who will drive the command to greater heights.

    “We had issues of pipeline vandals, miscreants and other vices in Lagos but we have been combating them.

    “Through Operation AWATSE, we have been able to tame activities of vandals considerable. Although, it’s not an issue to be completely eradicated within a short time. But I can say we have done very well in fighting them.

    “I advise my successor to be commited and ensure troops remain professional. He should ensure they operate within rules of engagement and uphold human rights,” said Biu.

    In his remark, Mohammed who described the security challenges bedevilling the nation as unpalatable stated that he would continue from where his predecessor stopped for the greater good of the nation.

  • Navy recovers two boats, several kegs from vandals

    Navy recovers two boats, several kegs from vandals

    Operativesof the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT has recovered two wooden boats and several kegs, hosts used by pipeline vandals around the Badagry creeks.

    This recovery, the third within a month around Lagos waters was secured during a raid of the riverine areas around Badagry and Seme border.

    According to the Commander NNS BEECROFT, Commordore Abraham Adaji the navy observed that series of illegal bunkering activities have been going on at the border towns between Nigeria and Cotonou, particularly around Badagry.

    He said: “It is in view of this that Naval patrol team from NNS Beecroft were sent to Seme border and they intercepted these two wooden boats while on their way to carry out their nefarious activities.

    “Upon sighting the navy boats, the criminals jumped overboard, abandoning their materials which included Outboard Engines, several Hoses, 200 litres of drums and 25 litres of jerry cans. There were also few lube oils, and pumping machines which were all recovered from the boats.”

     

  • Navy vows to crush vandals, oil thieves

    Navy vows to crush vandals, oil thieves

    The Central Naval Command (CNC) of the Nigerian Navy at the weekend, re-echoed the warning of the Federal Government against economic sabotage saying it was determined to crush pipeline vandals and oil thieves within its Areas of Responsibility (AoR).

    President Muhammadu Buhari while in China vowed to deal with vandals like members of the Boko Haram sect.

    The CNC, whose headquarters is located in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, covers strategic areas of the country’s maritime assets including many oil platforms, oil fields, installations and pipelines.

    The CNC, Saturday, got a new Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Rear Admiral Tarioworio Dick, who took over from Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman.

    Both naval bosses said concrete foundation had been laid by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ibok Ibas, to actualise the mandate of the Federal Government against oil thieves and pipeline vandals.

    Speaking shortly after a brief handover ceremony, Suleiman said the naval headquarters recently fortified the assets of the CNC with additional 10 patrol boats.

    He said within seven months, the command destroyed 100 illegal refineries, arrested many suspected oil thieves and impounded ships and other vessels used by vandals.

    He said: “we advise thieves to desist. The command will sanction offenders severely in accordance with the extant rules and regulations. We will continue to curb maritime crimes”.

    He said within his seven months stint, the command maintained adequate presence at sea and fully deployed operatives in strategic maritime assets.

    Suleiman said oil theft was highly reduced as the Shell a Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) reported almost zero crude theft adding that CNC was adjudged the best command in the Nigerian Navy during his period.

    The outgone commander who was redeployed to Defence Headquarters for higher assignments, inaugurated five projects he initiated and executed within seven months.

    He commissioned the command senior rates mess, 17-self content apartment ratings transit accommodation, galley, main gate complex and CNC remodeled provost and regulating office and swimming pool.

    While unveiling the maiden edition of the Central Searchlight, a publication of the CNC, Suleiman asked the officers and the ratings to cooperate with the new FOC.

    Also Dick vowed to deal with crude oil thieves,pipeline vandals, kidnappers and pirates.

    He, however, appealed to the communities to cooperate with the navy by volunteering information.

    He said: “We solicit the community to provide information for us to act. Those who perpetrate this criminality do not represent any community but the live in communities and the communities are not happy with what they are doing.

    “I am disturbed by the actions of crude oil thrives because they dig the ground and use it as a storage facility. It damages the environment to the extent that our own children may not recover from what they have done.

    “They are not friends and so there should be the whole community approach towards tackling crude oil theft, sea robbery and piracy”.

  • Civil Defence parades eight suspected pipeline vandals

    Civil Defence parades eight suspected pipeline vandals

    LAGOS State Command of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) operatives yesterday paraded eight suspected pipeline vandals.

    Six were arrested on the high sea close to Republic of Benin border; the other two were caught on Elepute near Ikorodu.

    They are Ademuyiwa Eniafe, 29; Abayo Adeolu, 39; Suru Hunpevi, 30; Massel Hungbo, 25; Mark Huntonji, 22; Emmanuel Somoten, 18; Joseph Gbehan, 21 and Gbenonu Jonas, 29.

    NSCDC Commandant Tajudeen Balogun, said Eniafe and Adeolu were arrested with 53 drums of 50-litre of fuel; the others were caught with 53 drums of 150-litre of diesel.

    Balogun said: “We made some arrest from Ikorodu on Sunday around 10:32pm. They were arrested in Itaoluwo area. The bus was filled with 53 gallons of petrol. Investigation will continue to unravel if they belong to a cartel to get to the bottom of the matter, then they will be charged to court. As far as the command is concerned, we will do our job the way it is supposed to be done.

    “The Badagry arrest was on the sea around Ikogberefu. It involved some canoes that were in the habit of loading diesel across the border to Republic of Benin. It was a specific squad in the corps that handles water activity that intercepted them. Six suspects were handed over to the army. If investigation is done and they are yet to prove where they got it from, they will be charged to court.”

    Eniafe said he knew nothing about the fuel, adding that he only requested for a lift before he was arrested.

    He said: “I was returning from my friend’s place when I saw Abayo. I told him to assist me with a ride which he accepted. I did not know his vehicle was filled with petrol. When I asked who the owner was, he said she was on a motorcycle in front of us. When the woman noticed someone was beside Adeolu, she pointed a torch at me. When she saw me, she pleaded with me to follow the driver to their destination which I agreed. When we got to Elepete, we were arrested. I did not see the woman again. I know her very well. She is Iya Aliyah. She is the owner of the fuel. I was only coming from my friend’s house. I work at Nigeria Premiere Lotto as a sub-agent but whenever I am broke, I carry fuel for which I am paid N100 per gallon. I have a daughter and my wife is six-month pregnant. My family needs me.”

    Adeolu, a driver, said he never imagined he would be in such a situation because he followed his boss’ instruction.

    He said his boss, Wale, told him he was going to convey load for a woman, adding that when he asked what it was, he was told that he would know when he got there.

    “I shuttle between Ikorodu and Ogijo. I don’t even know the area. I was even scared to go there because it is a cultists’ hideout. She said I shouldn’t worry that she had people to load the petrol into the vehicle for me. I have never done this before. They agreed to give me N4, 000. It was only 33 jerry cans I carried. I have faced a lot of things lately. I lost my wife and my child three months ago,” he said.

  • Navy floods N’Delta waterways with gunboats 

    Navy floods N’Delta waterways with gunboats 

    The Nigerian Navy, in a three-day operation, paraded all its gunboats, war ships and other movable arsenals on waterways located within the Areas of Responsibility (AoR) of the Central Naval Command (CNC).

    The navy in an apparent move to show its strength dominated the waterways with its presence and sent signals to oil thieves, kidnappers, pirates, pipeline vandals and other maritime criminals of its readiness to deal with them.

    In the operation codenamed, “Exercise Projector”, the navy vowed to intensify its patrols, tackle all forms of economic crimes and fight illegalities in its operational areas in the Niger Delta region.

    The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Central Naval Command (CNC), Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman regretted that maritime crimes led to significant loss in revenue accruable to the government.

    He also said that the damage of strategic oil installations had impacted negatively on the economy and security.

    But he said the navy was capable of demystifying the creeks and dislodging miscreants from their hideouts.

    “There shall be no hideouts for these miscreants anymore in short time in our operational domains”, he said.

    He noted that the country had continued to look for permanent solutions to the challenges of illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism in Niger Delta communities.

    The FOC said the concluded exercise was a strategy ordered by the Chief Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ibok Ibas to identify the hideouts of criminals and flush them out.

    He insisted that the exercise would suppress the activities of criminals whose actions had negatively affected the economy and the environment.

    He said the zero tolerance to oil theft the Navy had maintained over time yielded positive results in the oil sector.

    According to him the navy would embarked on regular patrols of waterways in its operational areas to block the entire maritime space to reduce criminalities in the creeks.

    The FOC further said that the command acquired 15 gunboats to enforce to undertake operations in the Niger Delta communities and warned criminals and sea robbers to stay clear from its operational areas.

    He said: “We are going to enforce the patrol of Niger Delta creeks, blocking the entire maritime space to reduce criminal activities and smoke criminals out from their hideouts.

    “The Navy has decided to make the business of crude oil theft and the waterways unattractive for criminals.”

    He, however, appealed for support from community heads, operators of oil companies asking them to report suspicious characters and activities to the command.

  • Troops arrest suspected pipeline bombers in N’Delta

    Troops arrest suspected pipeline bombers in N’Delta

    Troops of Operation Pulo Shield (OPS), formerly known as Joint Task Force (JTF) have arrested some suspects for the recent attacks of oil pipelines and installations in the Niger Delta region.

    The Commander, OPS, Maj.-Gen. Alani Okunlola, in a statement signed by the Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, Col. Ado Isa, said the suspects were undergoing investigations.

    Okunlola said the investigations would determine the culpability of suspects before transferring them to relevant prosecuting agencies.

    He said the troops were on manhunt for other hoodlums who were on the run.

    But the commander failed to indicate the number of persons arrested by the operatives.

    He said: “The success of the arrest was due to highly intensified patrols and cordon-and-search operations on the waterways, creeks and communities by the outfit.”

    Suspected militants recently vandalised some oil and gas pipelines across the Niger Delta including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation gas pipeline in Egwa 1, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State and Agip pipelines in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State.

    Okunlola further said that the troops had intensified patrols and cordon-and-search within their Area of Responsibility (AoR).

    The commander also assured the people of Niger Delta of the OPS’ determination to tackle all acts of illegalities in the region.

    He appealed to them to give useful information that would aid the Joint Force in its operations in line with its mandate in the Niger Delta.

    He further warned the perpetrators of the crimes to desist from further destruction of oil facilities or be ready to face the full wrath of the law.

    Also, the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) called on the host communities to protect oil and gas pipelines in their domains against vandalism to save the environment from widespread pollution.

    The National Coordinator, CEPEJ, Mr. Sheriff Mulade, urged oil-rich communities to see the installations in their domain as theirs and ensure vandals steer clear of them.

    Mulade bemoaned incessant destruction of pipelines by vandals insisting that the quest for ill-gotten wealth was destroying the environment.

    He said the damage done to the environment by pipeline vandals would take many years to reclaim and warned against self-destruction arising from illegal bunkering by the locals.

    He said: “People should know that they are polluting their environment through vandalism and this illicit trade.  The effect of pollution on the environment is massive especially the health hazards, erosion of livelihoods and all that.

    “Therefore, we should know that when we destroy the environment, we are intentionally destroying ourselves because the environment is our only heritage.”

    Mulade said adequate measures should be put in place to check the unwholesome activities of oil thieves and vandals and advised security agencies to adopt intelligence gathering mechanism to track the perpetrators.

    He also advised the Federal Government to investigate security agents stationed at the facilities following allegations that they were conniving with vandals for their selfish interest.

  • Ijaw elders to Buhari: Go after pipeline vandals

    Ijaw elders to Buhari: Go after pipeline vandals

    Ijaw elders, Friday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to only go after persons behind the recent attacks on major oil and gas pipelines in the Niger Delta region.

    The leaders under the aegis of Bayelsa Elders Council (BEC) said Buhari should direct the security agencies to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to justice under the rule of law.

    The elders held a crucial meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, to review the state of the nation with particular attention to the rising attacks on oil and gas installations.

    In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the elders appealed to Buhari to prevent security operatives from destroying innocent communities under the guise of fishing out pipeline vandals.

    They, however, called on the perpetrators to desist from further attacks on pipelines to avoid further damaging the economy of the state and the country in view of continuous fall of crude oil price.

    The communiqué was signed by BEC’s Chairman, Chief Francis Doukpola and Publicity Secretary, Chief Thompson Okorotie.

    The elders also asked the Federal Government to exercise caution while making statements on the matter and to consult widely before making decisions on issues affecting the amnesty programme.

    They urged the federal government to apply the carrot and stick approach by negotiating with the host communities to bring about sustainable solutions to the problem,

    They said: “The council expresses its support for the anti-corruption crusade embarked upon by President Mohammadu Buhari. It is however concerned about the way certain fellow Nigerians including Ijaws have been handled in the process.

    “All Nigerians deserve to be treated decently in preservation of their fundamental human rights under the rule of law”.

    Some of the Ijaw elders present at the meeting were HRM Joshua Igbagara, Ibenanaowei of Oyiakiri clan; HRM Jonathan Kubor, Ibenanaowei of Bassan clan and HRH King Richard Seibarugu, Ibedaowei of Okordia kingdom.

    Also present at the meeting were Chief A.M. Aduba, Deputy chairman, Rev. (Mrs.) Jane Alek, Amba Ambaowei, Dr. Hellen Opigo, Austin Lugbenwei and Chief Dennis Daunemugha, among others.

  • Update: Vandals kill nine DSS personnel in Lagos

    …  Abduct others

    At least nine Department of Secret Security Service (DSS) personnel were on Wednesday killed by suspected vandals, with others taken hostage at Arepo, Lagos.

    The security operatives met their untimely death after they were alerted that the hoodlums were siphoning Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at Konu, a border town between Arepo and Ikorodu.

    Although the incident happened at 8:00pm on Tuesday and the wee hours of Wednesday, details on it were still sketchy at the time of filing this report.

    The DSS was reportedly brought into the picture following the inability of the police to curtail the resurgence of pipeline vandalism.

    The security agents were on their way to nab the criminals when they were ambushed and gunned down.

    The killing of the DSS agents, The Nation gathered was one of several murders of security operatives, including six policemen and some military personnel by the criminals in the past two weeks.

    A source who spoke in confidence told The Nation that two Hilux vehicles were used to carry corpses of the security operatives from the creeks by a joint team of military and civil security agents.

    He stated that the civil police had to approach the military for help, particularly the navy because their gun boats and expertise were required to flush out the criminals.

    He said the vandals who appeared to be well armed and battle ready, have been laying ambush for security agents who dared to disrupt their business.

    Asked why the DSS operatives were engaged in safeguarding of pipelines, the source said it was due to lack of confidence in the police ability to curtail the activities of vandals.

    “DSS personnel have for sometime now been deployed to monitor pipelines and arrest vandals.

    “It is not the first time they will be engaged in it. In fact since the military was asked to stay off internal security unless in the northeast, and the OPC contract terminated, these criminals have overwhelmed the police.

    “So many security personnel have been ambushed and killed in the last two weeks by the criminals who usually take their bodies into the creeks and bury them in shallow graves.

    “The police and NSCDC have not been able to enter the creeks, they fear for their lives because those criminals are well armed and have informants,” the source added.