The Nigeria Police has shut down two petrol stations in the Ikorodu area of Lagos and arrested their managers for allegedly buying petroleum products siphoned from vandalised petroleum pipelines.
Mr Friday Ibadin, an ACP and Commander of the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Anti- Pipeline Vandalism Unit, disclosed this in Lagos on Friday.
Ibadin alleged that the filling stations bought products suspected to have been vandalised from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline in the Epe area of Lagos state.
He said that his officers, acting on a tip off by members of the community, that a truck loaded with suspected PMS suspected to have been vandalised, emerged from the bush close to the NNPC pipeline in Epe, Lagos.
“My men tracked them to Ikorodu where they were discharging the product. The managers and others who participated in the transaction were arrested, while the stations are now under lock and key.
“Detectives led by the Lagos Sector Commander, DSP Samson Olawoyin, tracked them down to the two petrol stations in Ikorodu, while they were discharging the product.
“ We are still on the trail of one of the petrol station owners who disappeared when he got information that policemen visited his office. Both petrol stations have been shut down.
“Meanwhile, I wish to use this opportunity to warn all petrol station operators that it is no longer business as usual. We will clamp down on anyone found to be patronising vandals.
“The fact remains that if there is no market, pipeline vandalism will stop. We sincerely appreciate the efforts of the community for assisting security operatives through timely information.
“The suspects will be charged to court at the end of investigation,” Ibadin added