The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Ogun Command, on Friday, said it intercepted and impounded a petroleum tanker used by vandals to siphoned 45,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), at Ifote village near Ipara in Obafemi Owode local government area.
Speaking to newsmen in Abeokuta about the development, the state commandant of NSCDC, Mr Hammed Abodunrin, said the command got information around 12 midnight that some vandals were stealing fuel from the pipelines and immediately swung into action.
Abodunrin explained that immediately the vandals cited the team of the NSCDC through the headlamps, they abandoned the already loaded 45,000 litres tanker and ran away.
He stated that the area was notorious for vandalism , saying that most of the vandals at times came in through the bush and start siphoning fuel.
He noted that the command would continue to work 24 hours to ensure that the nation’s critical national resources were protected, warning pipeline vandals to desist or face the wrath of the law.
He added that the tanker and its content had been impounded, saying that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was immediately notified so that they could get the fuel from the tanker.
He said that the command would do more investigations and take the case to court, saying that any equipment used for vandalism would be taken to court and forfeited to Federal government.
He explained that the NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi’s focus was to ensure that economic saboteurs does not have there way.
“Our existence is to ensure that Nigeria economic is protected by ensuring that we carry out one of our major mandate , that is protection of critical national infrastructure and he has really empowered us.
“He has deployed vehicles, motorcycles , equipments that can assist us to ensure that we have capacity to protect the pipeline ,” he said.
Abodunrin warned community leaders, villagers not be collaborators with vandals, saying that they should collaborate with NSCDC .
