Yemisi Izuora
A private pipeline surveillance security engaged by Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) to monitor and patrol pipelines along the system 2B has uncovered an illegal bunkering site in Ogere Water Works a suburb of Ogun State where five vandals were arrested.
The private security outfit Topline Leighton Ltd, arrested the five vandals and recovered over 20 million litres of petroleum products.
Mr Adetona Adigun, Coordinator, Topline Leighton Ltd., said the private pipelines surveillance has been contracted to monitor the NNPC/PPMC system 2B products pipelines from Atlas cove to Mosimi and South West region.
According to him, Since we assumed the surveillance of the pipelines we have made series of arrests and discoveries on where vandals vandalised the network.
“We have made a landmark achievement which nobody has made, here at Ogere Water Works in Ogun State and over 2,000 of jerrycans full of petrol have been recovered from vandals and their equipment siezed.
” This our commonwealth and with the collaboration of other security agencies, police, Navy, Civil Defence Corps, we are ready to match them in ensuring that our national assets is secured,” he said.
Adigun however warned Vandals to desists from destroying national values, adding that “it’s not going to be business as usual.
He said that five vandals were arrested who will be handed over to government for interrogation, adding that the process has reduced numbers of vandals, and that pumping of petroleum products have been frequent and regular.
Adigun said President Muhammadu Buhari’s directives on zero tolerance against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism has started yielding results.
“We hope that those apprehended will soon be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent for others to desist from these activities.
It has sent big signals in terms of the battles we are waging. The more programme and model brought to curb pipelines vandals, the better technology often deployed by vandals,’’ he said.
He described the criminal activities in the community as massive, and said the products being siphoned from the network ranged between 300 and 400 trucks daily.
Mr Aminu Joshua, Operation Manager, and leader of the pipelines surveillance group, appealed to government for more support to track down more vandals.
Joshua said that the arrests were made during their patrol along the pipelines route where about three trucks were sighted coming out from the bush loaded with petrol.
He said that oil theft has been the major occupation of the community, adding that more than 10,000 empty Jerry cans were seized with additional 2,000 cans loaded with petrol.
The leader said that they engaged the Vandals in a gun battle, adding that the private security have been supportive.
“We need more support from government to unveil more illegal oil theft and pipeline vandals”, Joshua said.
Four vehicles, equipment and several generators recovered from the suspects were handed over to the police for further investigation.