The Nigerian Navy has arrested three suspects for pipeline vandalism and related maritime crimes.
The Director of Information of the Navy, Commodore Christian Ezekobe, said in a statement on Wednesday that the three suspects would be handed over to the prosecuting agencies after preliminary investigation.
According to him, the suspects are Sani a.k.a Dogonyaro, Usman a.k.a Smally and Adamu Mani.
He said that the Navy had stepped up its operations and had introduced more combat platforms for the security of critical economic assets and the nation’s waterways.
Ezekobe said further that operatives of the Forward Operation Base, Badagry, arrested five citizens of Benin Republic in connection with economic crimes in the nation’s maritime domain.
The Navy Spokesman said that the suspects, Messrs Philmen Agboku, Penu Daniel, Sule Soka, Dosu Victor and Sodope Olivie, were arrested in a wooden Cotonou boat with 900 jerrycans containing product suspected to be stolen Premium Motor Spirit.
According to him, the suspects were being interrogated to get more information on the gang and its sponsors.
He also said that a patrol team destroyed a large illegal refinery with storage tanks containing stolen crude oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil at Ayakurumo Community in Burutu LGA, in Delta State.
