The Nigerian Navy recently nabbed three pipeline vandals at Asugbo Creek in Warri South local government areas of Delta State.
The successful arrest of the suspected oil pipeline vandals was a joint effort of the Nigerian Navy Ship Delta Patrol team and Ocean Marine Solution surveillance staff ( a private oil pipeline surveillance company).
In a statement issued by Captain S Paul on behalf of Commander NNS Delta said the joint patrol team discovered a vandalized and leaking pipeline.
That motivated the team to search the area and the consequent arrest of three persons in a canoe about twenty metres from the vandalized pipeline.
The arrested suspected oil pipeline vandals claimed to be fisherman but no fishing gears, fishing nets or hooks were found in the canoe.
Questioned on their attempted escape, they could not provide convincing answers.
The Nigerian Navy warned that hard times await crude oil pipeline vandals in Delta State.
Part of the press statement further reads thus :
‘Persons involved in crude oil theft and other forms of criminal activities are hereby warned that Nigerian Navy Ship DELTA in line with the Chief of the Naval Staff Strategic Directive 2023 – 6 will not rest on its oars in ensuring that her area of operations is rid of oil theft and pipeline vandalism.’