Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalisation have arrested a Ghanaian and three Beninoise who allegedly attempted to bribe the operatives with N520,000 to allow them siphon petroleum product from pipelines in Epe area of Lagos.
During preliminary investigation, one of the suspects, according to the officer in charge of the task force, Friday Ibadin, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, confessed that members of Akaraba community in Epe were engaged in the illegal act
The suspects whose identities were given as Fufo Soglo (Ghanaian), Christopher Suso, Matilda Idowu and Yovo Itoh, all Beninoise, were reportedly arrested at a police tent in Atlas Cove, weekend.
Ffty-year-old Maltida Idowu who admitted being the group’s treasurer told newsmen that following intensified surveillance around pipeline installations around Epe, some members of the community decided to contribute money to give to policemen to allow them unhindered access.
According to her, “one Chukwuma called me to raise N1 million from members of our community to bribe policemen. We levied ourselves N50,000 each and I decided to do the collection. But at the end I was able to raise only N500,000 from 10 persons while I paid N20,000, thereby totalling N520,000. When we contacted Chukwuma, he told me to bring the money to the police tent at Atlas Cove.”
With the money intact, the suspects were said to have gone to Atlas Cove, apparently to have a field day. But they were taken unawares as they were apprehended.
ACP Ibadin said the policemen led by the Sector Commander, Lagos, Onaghise Osayande, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, played along with the vandals when they offered to bribe them.
He said: “They got four of them arrested while they were about to handover the N520,000 to them. We recovered valves with 12 different holes connected to it from them. With this kind of technological connection, these vandals can siphon over 50,000 litres in less than 30 minutes.
We are working with the village heads to sort out members of the community who are actually in the business and prosecute them accordingly.”
vanguard
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