OPERATIVES of the Anti-vandal Unit of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Rivers State Command, have arrested five suspected vandals and one oil thief.
The suspects were apprehended in Port Harcourt while allegedly conveying two rails belonging to the Nigerian Railway Corporation with wheelbarrow to the point where they planned to sell them.
The state Commandant of the NSCDC, Mrs. Helen Amakiri, told journalists on Saturday that the vandals confessed that they had dug up the rails and were going to sell them at Mile 3 Market in the state capital.
Amakiri, who said the state command had launched the Solid Minerals Protection Unit, added that those involved in stealing government critical assets would soon be apprehended.
She said, “On Saturday, April 3, 2016, at about 2am, the NSCDC personnel intercepted a group of men conveying two rails belonging to the Nigerian Railway Corporation with two wheelbarrows around the D-Line area in Port Harcourt.
“They confessed that they dug up two rails and were headed for Mile 3 Market to sell them for N10,000 each before they were intercepted. The matter is being investigated and the suspects will be charged to court in due time.”
She added that one of the five suspects paraded by the command was a driver, who abandoned his duty and involved himself in oil theft.
Amakiri recalled that on April 7, 2016, the anti-vandal unit of the NSCDC sighted some vandals along Shell Pipeline at Ahia location in Emohua LGA, Rivers State.
She said, “On sighting the anti-vandal team, the vandals took to their heels, leaving behind a truck belonging to the Dangote company with number plate Jigawa, YKS-874 XA, and IBESE 14 ICT-14E-03, 20 empty tanks, spanners, mobe universal and 13, 16 ring spanners.
“Luck, however, ran out on the driver, who was arrested alongside the truck. It was later discovered that a hose was attached to the Shell pipeline for siphoning the product into the truck, though no product was siphoned due to the prompt intervention of the anti-vandal team.”
She explained that the command had embarked on further investigation with a view to charging the suspected oil thief to court in due course.
On the inaugurated Solid Minerals Protection Unit by the state command, Mrs. Amakiri described the protection of solid minerals as one of the mandates of the NSCDC.
“The Solid Mineral Defenders was formed to checkmate the activities of illegal miners within the state. The team will also enforce the strict compliance of the rules that only those who have licence are allowed to operate in Rivers State,” she added.
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