Navy arrests alleged notorious pipeline vandal in Lagos
The Navy has revealed that it has arrested one Shaibu Ogunmola, an alleged notorious kingpin of pipeline vandalism in Lagos following Operation Awese exercise.
Ogunmola was accused of leading a group of young people who were in the habit of pilfering imported petrol at the Atlas Cove, which is located in Ilase area of Lagos.
The Atlas Cove is said to have been designed to receive imported petroleum products through a channel that links to other parts of the country for effective distribution.
It was on this facility that the suspect connected some drums underground and used them to siphon the products as it was released into the channel.
Nigeria Army launched Operation Awese in 2014 in collaboration with the Navy to secure the NNPC pipelines within Majidun area of Ikorodu and other parts of Lagos against vandalism.
The exercise which also involve the cooperation of host communities was instrumental to the arrest Ogunmola.
But while being paraded, Ogunmola denied the assertion that he was a pipeline vandalism kingpin. He said that he’s a hotelier businessman and had no idea of the crime that he’s been accused of.
Meanwhile, Obed Ngalabak, a Navy rear admiral who led the operation said that he was the ring leader of vandalism in the area, and has been involved in the illegal activity for a long time. He was accused of even grooming many boys in the business as well.
Admiral Ngalabak disclosed that the suspect will be handed over to relevant authorities for prosecution.
