Navy arrests alleged oil pipeline thief

The Nigerian Navy has arrested an alleged notorious oil pipeline theft kingpin. It was gathered that the illegal activities of the suspect, Shuaibu through the years, have led to loss of millions of litres of products along the Lagos Atlas Cove strip in the strategic System 2B pipeline network. The spokesman of the Nigerian National […]

The Nigerian Navy has arrested an alleged notorious oil pipeline theft kingpin. It was gathered that the illegal activities of the suspect, Shuaibu through the years, have led to loss of millions of litres of products along the Lagos Atlas Cove strip in the strategic System 2B pipeline network.

The spokesman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Ndu Ughamadu, said in a statement that Shuaibu was arrested recently at his luxury hotel in Ilashe community, along the Badagry Creek by officers and men of Operation AWATSE, a joint military task force on oil theft and pipeline vandalism anchored by the Western Naval Command, Apapa, Lagos.

He explained that investigations thus far revealed that Shuaibu had operated a thriving oil theft racket for decades, hacking pipelines in some island communities in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State along the System 2B network right-of-way.

Commenting on the significance of the arrest of the suspect, Rear Admiral Obed Ngalabak, Flag Officer Commanding the Western Naval Command, who also doubles as the Commander of Operation AWATSE, said the feat was the beginning of a well-mapped out strategy to halt the menace of pipeline vandals across the zone.