Some hoodlums disguised in army uniform to vandalise a petrol pipeline in Lagos in the early hours of Thursday.
Residents of Tunde Alabi Crescent, Mafon in the Ejigbo area of the state, who are members of the Victory Estate Community Development Association, explained that the oil thieves made away with four trucks of fuel and escaped before dawn.
According to the residents, they couldn’t challenge the men because they were armed, and in military uniform, giving the impression that they were officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
They added that they did not know the truth until around 4.13am, when they saw some policemen and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, who cordoned off the area and prevented the movement of people.
The pipeline is located in the middle of Tunde Alabi Crescent, about 27 metres away from a nursery/primary school in the highly populated Oboye area of Ejigbo.
The NNPC officials stopped the leakage from the vandalised pipeline around 12.15pm.
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Speaking on the incident, a resident, Kingsley Okafor, “When I came out this morning, I saw people gather in groups. I saw some liquid particles, which turned out to be fuel. From what I heard, the hoodlums came here with people we thought were soldiers, because they were dressed in army uniform.
“The pipeline has been vandalised. From what I saw, the people took their time to dig the ground to where the pipeline passes through and took the community by surprise early this morning. It was a well planned operation.”
The Public Relations Officer, NSCDC, Kehinde Bada, confirmed the incident, saying she received a call in the morning informing her of the vandalised pipeline in Ejigbo.
Bada said, “I received a call this morning that there was pipeline leakage in Ejigbo. Our men went there and discovered that it was a case of vandalism. They called on the NNPC and the necessary authorities to ensure the stoppage of the leakage.
“The location of the pipeline in Ejigbo is more or less within a community; we have always ensured that the area is well protected. But our men were in other locations too providing security. We are doing our utmost to ensure that necessary steps are taken to ensure that this incident does not reoccur.
“The valves have been replaced and there is no more leakage. Our men have been stationed there to prevent a recurrence of the incident.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, confirmed the incident and said investigation was ongoing.