The Akwa Ibom Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it had arrested 70 persons involved in pipeline vandalism and successfully prosecuted seven of them between June and November this year.
This was disclosed by the Akwa Ibom State Commandant of the Corps, Emmanuel Ojeniyi, in an interview on Sunday with the News Agency of Nigeria, in the state capital, Uyo.
He said: “I want to say that within this short period, we have made 70 arrests and secured seven convictions and we still have 36 cases pending in court.
“We have also investigated 19 cases and will soon charge the suspects to court while 17 cases have been abandoned for lack of witnesses.”
Ojeniyi said the suspects were arrested for pipeline vandalism and adulteration of petroleum products.
According to him, the corps also impounded some trucks used in the nefarious activities of oil theft and pipeline vandalism, which he said were abandoned by suspects who fled on sighting the men of the command.
The state commandant vowed to continue to wage a relentless war on pipeline vandalism, and promised to continue to partner with other security agencies to fight the scourge of oil theft, pipeline vandalism, adulteration of petroleum products, and vandalism of electrical installations.
In the same vein, Ojeniyi appealed to the residents of the state to assist the security agencies to combat criminal activities by providing useful tips that can lead to the apprehension of criminal elements.