NSCDC prosecutes 6 vandals, impounds 13 vehicles in Kaduna
By; Benedict Sunday, Kaduna.
Determined to control the worrisome incidence of vandalism in the country, the Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps, Kaduna State Command has secured the prosecution of six vandals while two suspects are undergoing prosecution.
Reviewing the activities of the command in the outgoing year at state headquarters, State Commandant of the Corps, Alhaji Modu Bunu, said nine vehicles excluding four tankers have also been impounded.
He stated that 21 motorcycles and no fewer than 727 jericans either filled with PMS or diesel were recovered from the suspects, over attempted vandalism or siphoning of petroleum products.
According to Bunu, the state did not experience any incident of
pipeline vandalism because of certain proactive measures that were taken.
He explained that earlier in the outgoing year, the command embarked on the sensitization of various communities on the dangers of vandalism in Igabi, Kaduna-North, Kaduna-South, Chikun and Kachia Local government Areas, noting that the affected communities were chosen in view of prevalent incidence.
Pertaining to other forms of crimes and criminalities, the state NSCDC boss said “through intelligence report, we arrested notorious hard-drug dealers in the course of combing suspected black spots, apprehended car snatching syndicates and uncovered illegal sites for the production of fake liquor in the state.”
On dispute resolution, the Commandant said 29 reports bothering on breach of trust were resolved, while 16 landed disputes and eight
misunderstandings relating to different families were also amicably resolved with huge monies recovered for those who brought complaints.
He also renewed the call on parents and guardians to control their wards against criminal acts and vices, noting that NSCDC will continue its patrol during the New Year festivity and beyond to ensure a safe and secured atmosphere in the state.
He expressed readiness of the Corps to collaborate with other security agencies, stressing the need for members of the public to assist them by giving timely information on suspected acts and persons to rid the
society of criminal incidence.
In the same vein, the Command has arrested two suspects and recovered over 55 quantities of 25litres jericans of Automotive Gas Oil also known as diesel.
Speaking to press men in Kaduna, the state Commandant of the Corps, Alhaji Modu Bunu , expressed worry over the antics of the vandals saying the suspects were arrested at Ungwan Liman-Kangimi in Igabi Local Government Area following a tip-off.
According to him, the command will not relent in its anti-vandalism drive, while giving a warning that hard times await unscrupulous elements who rather than use legitimate ways of living resort to illegal and criminal
means.
He maintained that the command will continue with surveillance on petroleum pipelines in the state, calling on residents to assist by giving the Corps information to enable the NSCDC live up to expectations.
The Commandant attributed the arrest of the duo and recovery of the filled jericans and two motor-cycles to information that was given to the corps, adding that information volunteered to the command is treated with utmost confidentiality.
He explained, ‘following a tip-off on the activities of vandals at Ugwan-Liman Kangimi in Igabi LGA, I directed a combing operation of the area.”
He continued, ‘during the operation, all male inhabitants of the village were discovered to have disserted their houses leaving only women who declined comments on the whereabouts of their male folk.”
In most of the houses searched, jericans and other wares used for scooping of AGO from a vandalized pipeline from the community were found”.
While the commandant has informed the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) of the incident, investigation into the matter is being conducted with the view to charging the suspects to court, he added.
