21st April, 2017
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Rivers Command, says it has arrested 78 oil pipeline vandals between January and March.
Mr Lawan Haruna, the State Commandant of the corps, said in Port Harcourt on Friday that 53 of the suspects had been arraigned in court.
According to him, seven of the suspects have been released as the products they were arrested for are ‘genuine’ petroleum products.
He noted that pipeline vandalism was on the decrease in the state compared with the figure during the same period in 2016.
Haruna attributed the reduction to the aggressive efforts of the command, the campaign mounted against vandalism and the collaboration with other security agencies.
He advised the youths not to allow themselves to be used to commit crimes.
“We should not allow ourselves to be used by some people to do illegal businesses,’’ the commandant said.
He also disclosed that 53 illegal miners involved in dredging were arrested during the period under review, but said they had been released as they had ‘’perfected’’ their licenses.