Suspected vandals kill three NNPC staff at Arepo

Three members of staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) were on Friday killed by suspected oil pipeline vandals in Arepo village near Lagos.

The three NNPC staff were amongst a team of engineers and technicians of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) deployed to effect repairs on the recently vandalised pipeline in Arepo village of Obafemi/Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Confirming the incident, the Acting Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Fidel Pepple said three members of the repair team have been shot dead while some others are receiving treatment as a result of wounds sustained after receiving gun shots from the suspected vandals.

He described the attack as sad and regrettable.

Mr Pepple asked Nigerians to collaborate with the NNPC in its quest to ensure effective supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country by reporting the nefarious activities of pipeline vandals to the security agencies.

Suspected vandals had last month busted the NNPC pipeline in Arepo village in Ogun State, causing fire to erupt on the pipeline.

Officials of the Fire Service and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) battled for two days to put out the fire, which occurred as the vandals tried to siphon petroleum products from the pipeline.