The Imo state Police command has arrested 16 suspects alleged to have vandalized oil pipelines at Agip fuel station at Ikri Oguta Local government area of Imo state
Addressing journalists at the command headquarters in Owerri, the Imo state capital, the state police Public Relations Officer, Joy Elemoko said the suspects were caught by the men of the Nigerian army deployed to Agip flow station in Ikri Oguta.
She also disclosed that in another covert operation, the command arrested six suspects who were alleged to have vandalized underground NITEL installation optic cables in Oguta local government area of the state.
The suspects, all male, were paraded with the vandalized pipe, vandalism equipment, a Mack truck with Lagos registration number XH 539 AAA carrying load of 40ft 8 inch diameter pipes valued at about N5 million.
The leader of the gang, Mr. Orji Best claimed that he bought the pipes N15, 000 each from some group of people in the community who claimed to be indigenes and owners the pipes.
In a related development, the command also paraded 6 suspects who were alleged to have vandalized underground NITEL installation optic cables at trinity junction road in Oguta local government area of the state.
The PRO said part of the items recovered include a Mercedes Benz truck, with Lagos registration number LND 620 XC loaded with optic cables worth N10 Million and a Toyota corolla car loaded with vandalism equipment.
However, the driver of the said truck disclosed that he was tricked into carrying the equipments as he was told they were electrical equipments.