The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Thursday paraded three suspects for their involvement in vandalisation of NNPC Pipeline in Taraku axis of Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State.
State Commandant of NSCDC, Bitrus Alice Larai, who paraded the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Makurdi, noted that under her watch, the operatives would not relent in protecting critical national assets and infrastructures across the country.
Larai said that the suspects were paraded for criminal conspiracy, wilful destruction of public property, vandalism of NNPC pipelines, receiving stolen property and being in possession of vandalised items.
She listed their names as Mustafa Mohammed (28), Shehu Idris (38) and Danjuma Maikano (42), all males.
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The Commandant disclosed that the suspects were apprehended on October 9, 2024 by soldiers of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) and handed over to the NSCDC same day of their arrest for further investigation.
Larai said the 40 pipelines vandalised by the suspects were carefully hidden within bags of charcoal in a truck intended to convey them out of the state before they were arrested.
One of the suspects, Mohammed, in an interview with journalists, admitted that they were caught while trying to move the items from the bush in Taraku, adding that his role was to safely escort the illegal products so that the driver does not divert them along the way.
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