We earn a living vandalizing pipelines- Suspect
The police in Niger State have apprehended three persons for allegedly vandalizing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s pipeline and scooping fuel from it in the Suleja Local Government Area of the State.
The suspects, Daniel Joshua, 37; Sunday Ezekiel, 33; and Suleiman Madaki, 29; all of the Numba Gwari village in Suleja, were arrested by a team police personnel attached to ‘A’ Division, Suleja, following a tip off.
It was learnt that the suspects belonged to a gang of petroleum product pipeline vandals in the Suleja area of the state.
It was gathered that the suspects had been in the act of vandalizing government property for over five years.
It was also learnt that the suspected vandals had been making quick money from the pipelines they burst from time to time.
Joshua said that he and his partners were making a living by bursting the NNPC pipelines , siphoning fuel and selling it at a cheaper rate to members of the public.
“Bursting the NNPC pipelines is a thriving business and we don’t joke with it, that is the quickest way to put food on our table. Anytime we burst the pipeline, we are sure of making reasonable money that will last four months for us before we will think about how to burst it again”, he explained.
The spokesman for the command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the arrest, adding that the suspects had confessed to the crime.
He added that exhibits recovered from the suspects were six 25 litre jerrycans with Petroleum Motor Spirit, 48 empty jerrycans, eight drilling bits, one drilling machine, chisel, hammer, shovel, four plastic containers and a funnel. He said the matter would be charged after investigation.