Troops of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) over the weekend arrested six alleged pipeline vandals.
The arrest was prompted by an explosion suspected to have been activated by vandals at the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) pipelines at Benikurukuru creek in Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa state.
The military troops attached to the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) were notified and they stormed the scene of the explosion but were faced with gun shots by the suspected vandals, Daily Sun reported
A top military source revealed that the military troops had to call for back up and they were able to battle the suspected vandals with sophisticated weapons forcing them to flee into the creeks.
The troops were said to have followed a lead and were able to effect the arrest of six suspects who confessed to be working for the vandals and provided the useful information to security operatives on their criminal activities in the area.
“The troops also recovered used and unused packets of dynamite cables, used ammunition shells as well as live vest.
“After the preliminary interrogation of the suspects, intelligence officers have taken over the case in Yenagoa and investigation is still ongoing to ascertain the syndicate involved in the pipeline vandalisation in the area,” the source said.
