The Abia State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, has paraded two men suspected to be involved in vandalism of petroleum pipelines, crude oil theft and other illegal dealings in petroleum products.
The two suspects, who had been on the wanted list, according to the Command, are Samson Koki, 25, and Zakaria Yakubu, 18.
The two suspects were arrested at Shell Well Head 26, Owaza, Ukwa West LGA of Abia State.
Giving the details of how the suspects were apprehended, the Head of of Public Relations Unit of Abia NSCDC, Ndukwe Agu Egwu, in a statement said the arrest was made possible through a joint operation by NSCDC, DSS and Shell internal security operations.
“The successful arrest of the suspects who have been on the Abia NSCDC wanted list is considered a major breakthrough in our unreserved commitment to win the war against oil pipeline vandalism,” he said.
The NSCDC thanked the general public for providing timely information that led to the arrest of the suspects, saying that the arrest was in line with the directives of the Commandant General, Abubakar Audi.
Fifty-five cellophane packs containing petroleum products suspected to be crude oil and a long hose were recovered from the suspects.