Suspected pipeline vandals jump into Lagos lagoon to evade arrest

A group of suspected pipeline vandals on Monday reportedly evaded arrest after they reportedly jumped into the Lagos lagoon at Tongeji Island, off the boundary between Benin Republic and Nigeria.

This was just as the Nigerian Navy laid ambush on them, impounding over 2,000 kegs of 25 litres of stolen petroleum product, containing approximately 50,000 litres of fuel.

The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Abraham Adaji, told newsmen in Lagos that the vandals jumped into the water and swam to safety after sighting naval men who were on midnight patrol.

Adaji said, “No suspect was arrested because the occupants of the boat, who were moving towards Badagry, fled and abandoned the products with the wooden boats upon sighting our patrol boats.

“The fleeing suspects allegedly specialised in smuggling stolen fuel and vandalising pipelines.

“They also used to buy stolen fuel from vandals and take same out of the country through the waters.

“The products were recovered from Tongeji Island, around Badagry area, on the fringes of Nigeria’s Western border with Republic of Benin and handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.”