Bayelsa state police have arrested a 27-year-old father of nine and three others in connection with vandalism of oil wells in the state.
The four suspects were Saturday paraded at the Bayelsa State Police Command with items recovered from them.
Spokesman for the command, Asinim Butswat, said the suspects specialised in vandalising well heads and other facilities in Bayelsa and neighbouring states.
Butswat, a Superintendent of Police, said when the command got report about their nefarious activities, operatives of Bayelsa and Rivers state commands swung into action, leading to the arrest of the four suspected vandals.
He said during interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime and that the suspects had assisted the police with useful information for the arrest of the buyer of the items who was at large.
He reiterated the command’s commitment to working with other relevant security agencies in ensuring that it rid the state of crimes in all ramifications.
Butswat emphasized that after thorough investigation, the buyer and suspects would be prosecuted in court.
The spokesman said: “The operation was carried out simultaneously in Bayelsa and Rivers states. One of them was arrested in Port Harcourt on the June 3, 2020 while others were arrested in Bayelsa with well heads and other facilities recovered from them.
“On June 23, 2020 at 0400hrs, a case of oil well theft was reported at the Force Headquarters in Yenagoa, and the ring leader named Timi Sunday, male, 27, from Ekeremor Local Government Area was arrested with his cohorts namely Rodgers Selegaha, aged 30.
“From Brass LGA, Noel Richard, male, 25, from Ekeremor LGA, and ThankGod Ibolo, male, 20, in Bayelsa State were arrested in various locations and investigation is on to arrest the buyer who is on the run in Port Harcourt.”
He commended community leaders and security agencies for their cordial relationship in ensuring that Nigeria economic assets were protected.
One of the suspects, Timi Sunday, aged 27, from Agalabiri community in Ekeremor, who spoke with our correspondent, said, he was lured to the crime by his friend, Innocent, who asked him to accompany him to sell scraps in Bayelsa.
Timi, who is a father of nine children, said he never knew that the oil well heads and valves were stolen.
Sunday said: “Smart informed me and I connected three of my friends who accompanied me to a village near Odioma in Brass LGA.
“We took the items to Port Harcourt and I was given N100,000 as mobiliation before I was arrested by the police.”
Speaking with journalists, the Operations Team leader of Aiteo Oil Services, Mr Victor Ehiemere, commended the Nigeria Police and Amotoi Global Services Limited for their efforts in protecting the nation’s assets.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Amotoi Global Oil Services Limited, Mr Amunaboye Clement, lauded the Bayelsa Police Command, Odioma community leaders and Rivers State police command for their efforts in apprehending the suspects.
Clement said Amotoi, which is a surveillance contractor and oil serving firm to Aiteo Oil Services, would continue to fight the oil vandals in the creeks.
