Navy Foils Bunkers’ Attempt To Break Pipeline
By Oladipupo Mojeed
The Nigerian Navy has foiled an attempt by pipeline vandals to break pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
According to reports, the pipeline pumps petroleum products from Atlas Cove, Lagos to Mosimi depot, Ogun State.
The Navy recovered 972 drums, 595 jerricans and four boats.
How it happened
The vandals were sighted in some boats on anchorage in Jegeme community along Badary/Benin Republic route by a team of naval personnel from the Forward Operating Base, Badagry, at about 5pm, Monday.
The personnel, said to be on surveillance, called for assistance from the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Beecroft , Apapa.
Their patrol boats were deplored to the scene but on sighting the personnel, the vandals, escaped, abandoning four boats.
Recoveries
When checked, 972 empty drums according to the Commander, NNS Beecroft , Commodore Eno Maurice , were recovered in the boats including 595 jerricans .
In addition, he said three pumping machines, three coils of rubber hoses and 14 outboard engines were also recovered in the boats.
Handing the recovered items to the Nigerian Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, yesterday, Commodore Maurice reiterated Navy’s commitment to checkmate activities of vandals and other criminality within the nation’s water under its jurisdiction.
“We have cogent intelligence that there are other collaborators that indulge in pipeline vandalism and oil theft around there.”
The Navy then warned pipeline vandals and other criminal elements particularly in the maritime environment to turn a new leaf and pursue legal means of livelihood, otherwise the law will catch up with them.
