No fewer than five crude oil pipeline vandals were, last weekend, arrested by operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF), code-named Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) at a fishing camp along Isonogbene and Beneside in Bayelsa State.
This is just as two kidnap suspects also met their Waterloo and a kidnap victim rescued during a crossfire with OPDS troops at Omuku Forest in Rivers State.
The names of the suspected vandals, during their parade, were given as Mr Ayebemi Dressman, Mr Inimotimi Abule and Mr Epemege Frank, Mr Bibowa Anemi and Mr Ngoriduwa Gomogo.
The suspects were reportedly responsible for the detonation of dynamites that resulted in the disruption of the facility of an International Oil Company located at TEBIDABA –OGBOINBIRI – BRASS pipeline in the outskirt of IMGBIBA Community of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The arrest was disclosed by Commander Operation Delta Safe Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman, during a press conference and parade of the suspects on Tuesday at the Headquarters of Operation Delta Safe in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
According to him, “following the incident, troops acted on a tip off spotted suspected hideout at a fishing camp along ISONOGBENE where 3 suspects namely; Mr Ayebemi Dressman, Mr Inimotimi Abule and Mr Epemege Frank were arrested in connection with the vandalism at PEREMABIRI Community of Bayelsa State”
Rear Admiral Suleiman, who was represented by Colonel Danjuma Abdullahi, added that Mr Bibowa Anemi and Mr Ngoriduwa Gomogo were nabbed during a similar operation at BENESIDE location in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
He alleged that the two suspects were responsible for sabotage and theft of wellhead 6 actuator device, an oil wellhead tool belonging to one of the International Oil Companies in the state.
He disclosed that the sabotage led to disruption of the operations in the oil company, adding that the wellhead was, however, currently under repairs.
On the two kidnap suspects who met their Waterloo, the army boss disclosed that troops deployed at Omuku Forest in Rivers State, while acting on a tip-off, engaged some suspected armed kidnappers in a gun duel which led to the rescue of the kidnapped victim and death of the two suspects.
“The rescued victim is currently receiving treatment in a medical facility in Port Harcourt, ” he noted.
Meanwhile, a number of arms and ammunition were reportedly recovered when OPDS troops raided a suspected pirate’s hideout at Elema, Rivers State.
The items, according to Rear Admiral Suleiman, included 23 rounds of 7.62mm Ball Special ammunition, one generating set and 40 Horse Power Suzuki speed boat engines, among others.
Rear Admiral Suleiman used the opportunity to commend the general public and the press for all the support given to OPDS in its effort to protect oil and gas infrastructure and halt all forms of criminality in the Niger Delta region.
He appealed to members of the public to provide timely and useful information to OPDS troops in order to rid the region of notorious criminals and economic saboteurs.
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