Some oil thieves, in the early hours of Saturday, gained access to an NNPC pipeline around the Goodluck Jonathan Estate in Idimu, Lagos, in a bid to illegally fill a tanker with Premium Motor Spirit, PMS.
The thieves, who later abandoned the act and escaped upon the arrival of personnel of the Nigerian Police from the Idimu Division, according to sources, arrived in the area in large numbers, to illegally drill oil out of the pipeline, but for the intervention of the police.
The Area Commander, Area ‘M’ Command, ACP Gbenga Adeoye, said he received an anonymous call at about 3 a.m. local time, regarding the illegal activities going on in the area and moved into action.
On arrival at the scene of the incident on Saturday, the Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, said that the command will get to the bottom of the matter, adding that the NNPC Technical Team is on the ground to clamp the place.
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Owohunwa, who said the force will continue to leverage its intelligence network in partnership with other security agencies, advised citizens to work with the police regularly.
The incidence of pipeline vandalism has become rampant in recent weeks in the state, with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps arresting ten suspects for pipeline vandalism this year.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
