Two pastors, 28 others nabbed over pipeline vandalism

LAGOS — THIRTY suspected pipeline
vandals, among them, two pastors and
two teenagers were, weekend, arrested by
officials of the Ogun State command of
the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence
Corps, NSCDC, in Isheri Olofin area of the
state.
The suspects, according to the
Commandant, Mr Akinwande Aboluwoye,
were arrested after a shoot-out.
Recovered from the suspects, according
to Aboluwoye, were canoes and 400 50-
litre jerricans filled with siphoned
petroleum product.
Parading the suspects, among whom
were six women, the commandant
explained that the feat was achieved
following a tip off.
He said: “Immediately they sighted us,
they opened fire, thereby leading to a gun
battle. But when it became apparent that
the heat was too much for them, they
abandoned the products and jumped into
the river and escaped. However, we were
able to arrest their accomplices who
reside in the area. We set the recovered
canoes ablaze while surveillance has
been intensified in that area.”.
However, when the teenagers, Michael
Oyedotun(13) and Azeez Ajani(12) were
quizzed, they denied their involvment,
saying they are apprentices in a tailoring
workshop in the area.
While Oyedotun claimed he was arrested
while taking his bath at the Ogun River,
Azeez admitted seeing jerricans around
the area any time he wakes up.
On his part, one of the pastors who
identified himself as Nikuleyi Adesola,
claimed he was arrested in the company
of two female members of his church.
According to him, “I live in the church. I
was with two of my members when
NSCDC officials ordered us to come out. I
do not know anything about the recovered
jerricans or activities of vandals.”
Meanwhile, the commandant has said the
suspects would be charged to court soon.