The Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has denied pushing any vandal into the lagoon to die while on operation ‘Clean Nigeria From Vandals’.
NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Mefor Chibuzo, said the operation is meant to reduce oil theft and that some vandals jumped into the water on sighting officers in order to evade arrest.
The incident took place around Onikan, Lagos when officers were acting on intelligence that vandals who tamper with petroleum pipelines at Atlas Cove use the route to move products.
“On that faithful day the officers of NSCDC arrived the venue as the illegal business was going on. On sighting our officers the suspects jumped into the water in an attempt to evade arrest.
“The officers wondered why someone in his right senses decides to take his life in an attempt to evade arrest,” Chibuzo recalled.
“On the whole”, he added, “89 kegs of 50 litres filled with petroleum products were recovered from the scene.
“The following day the intelligence unit of the corps called the telephone number of the suspected vandal that jumped into the water and to their amazement was ringing but no response.”
Chibuzo said the kegs would have been taken to Benin, Togo, and Ghana.
