Militants attack Agip pipeline in Bayelsa
The pipeline vandalism was said to have been spearheaded by some armed youths within the community.
However, community sources alleged that a
supremacy war between rival pipeline contractors over surveillance
contract led to the attack on the pipeline.
It was learnt that operatives of the
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps who stormed the community
shortly after the incident arrested one of the suspects.
The state Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, confirmed the attack on the Agip pipeline.
He said one of the militants, identified simply as Peregbakumo, was arrested through the assistance of the community leaders.
Agu said he summoned an emergency
meeting of senior officers of the command and gave them a marching order
to secure all pipelines, oil installations and other critical national
assets in the state.
He identified the facility attacked by the militants as a pipeline along Azuzuama area of the Tebidaba-Brass trunkline.
The Commandant said the pipeline was
attacked with dynamite at about 12.30am, adding that the community was
cooperating with his operatives to apprehend the other fleeing suspects.
He said after the attack, the armed
youths laid ambush in the community and shot a civilian member of the
Oil and Gas Task Force in the leg.
Agu, however, said the youth took off on
sighting the gunboat of NSCDC, adding that his operatives later
arrested Peregbakumo with the help of community people.
Agu said, “At about 0300hrs, a gang of
armed youths allegedly led by one Suoyou, Iyelawei and Fyneboy, all of
Ikienghenbiri community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, vandalised
pipeline along Azuzuama area of the Tebidaba-Brass pipeline with
dynamites and ignited fire on the line.
“Through community help, we were able to arrest one of the suspects and to identify some of the fleeing suspects.
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