The Police in Rivers State said its operatives have foiled an attempt by “miscreants” to vandalise pipelines in the state.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Olugbenga Adepoju, said at a press briefing in Port Harcourt that the operation led to the death of the “vandals” whom he claimed were trying to detonate the pipeline.
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The text of the press briefing was posted on Facebook on Tuesday.
Mr Adepoju said the incident occurred at Allu – Rumuekpe in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state on 16 March, a day before the Trans-Niger pipeline which transports crude from Rivers and Bayelsa states to the international terminal was blown.
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The protracted political crisis and the destruction of the pipeline caused President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency and suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and the state lawmakers.
The commissioner further disclosed that operatives of the command on Friday stormed kidnappers’ hideout along Omoku Road in Ahoada East LGA where eight suspects were arrested and six victims rescued.
The police chief did not disclose the identities of the eight suspects and the rescued victims.
“Items recovered during the arrest include two English-made pump action guns, two locally made pistols, four locally made single barrel guns with assorted rounds and cartridges, three Q-link motorcycles, communication equipment amongst other items,” the police said.
The police said they “voided” another crime in the state on 19 March and arrested “two suspects with four dynamites, four switches and detonating pods and other improvised explosive device enablers.
“This is in addition to the destruction of 30 illegal refining sites, 55 ovens, 20 reservoirs, 50 dug-out pits, 100,000 litres of stolen crude oil, and about 10,000 litres of illegally refined diesel which were handled in line with extant regulations.”
The police commissioner appealed to the public to help in crime fighting by giving tip off to security agencies.
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