According
to a resident, they woke up in the morning to discover that the pipeline
vandals had returned to the pipeline and ignited fire in the place again.
When
P.M.NEWS correspondent visited the scene of the fire incident, some policemen
and a truck of fire fighters had just arrived there.
The
Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) confirmed that System 2B
pipeline at the notorious Arepo village was vandalised.
A
management official of the PPMC, who preferred anonymity, confirmed this in
Lagos. “The service manager of the pipeline has just confirmed to us that
another round of vandalism has been observed at Arepo along the System 2B in
the early hours of Wednesday.
“I
was told all concerned officials have been mobilised to the area to put off the
fire,” the official said.
The
number of casualty could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this
report.
NAN
reports that the System 2B pipeline at Arepo was vandalised barely 10 days
after it was repaired.
Mr.
Ibrahim Farinloye, the South West Zonal Public Relations Officer of the
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), also confirmed the latest
explosion.
He
said that the agency had mobilised resources to move to the swampy area to put
out the fire.
“We
have mobilised resources to move to the explosion site and put out the fire,”
Farinloye told NAN.
NAN
reports that this is the second time in 2013 that explosion was recorded at Arepo
village.
The
first was on January 11, when about five charred bodies were reportedly
recovered at the scene by security operatives.
Besides,
a massive explosion had occurred at the area on August 31, 2012.
However,
a source close to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, said
they arrested 20 suspected pipeline vandals around Arepo today.
The
source that does not want to be named added that NSCDC who noticed the movement
of the suspects moved to the area shortly before the fire raged and arrested 20
of them while they were still on the trail of the fleeing members of the gang
when the fire broke out.
Similarly,
the special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Unit, said it arrested two
Indians and three others for allegedly vandalising NNPC pipeline.
Mr
Friday Ibadin, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), in charge of the task
force, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
Ibadin
said the police got intelligence report that some vandals were transporting
stolen crude oil from Okene to their buyers in Osun.
The
ACP explained that the Ore Sector Commander, DSP Xpress Omoigui and his men,
were sent to the area for regular patrol.
Ibadin
said that during one of the patrol sessions, they trailed some trucks to Prism
Steel Company based in Osun.
He
said the suspects were picked up at Osogbo, shortly after the Indians allegedly
took delivery of two-truck load of suspected stolen crude oil from NNPC
pipeline.
“The
suspects were identified, including those alleged to be their suppliers. We
also impounded the two trucks,” he said.
The
ACP said that the suspects would soon be charged to court at the end of the
investigation, adding that police were trailing the major marketers receiving
the stolen products.
The
Petroleum Product Marketing Company Limited, a subsidiary of NNPC assured
Nigerians that the fire would not lead to scarcity of petroleum products.
According
to PPMC spokesperson, Nasir Imodagbe, there were enough products to service the
affected areas while the pipeline remained shut to effect necessary repairs.
Ogun
State Governor Ibikunle Amosun who visited the site on Monday, 14 January
bemoaned the poor state of security by NNPC men who were reportedly monitoring
vandals with locally made canoes.
Amosun
advised NNPC to install modern equipment like Close Circuit Television, CCTV, and
camera around the swamps in Arepo to effectively monitor the vandals and bring
them to justice.
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