The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Imo State has arrested two men suspected of vandalizing petroleum pipelines in the Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area.
State Commandant Basil Igwebueze disclosed the development on Wednesday while briefing journalists in Owerri. He said the suspects were apprehended on August 17 in the Awarra community after operatives acted on credible intelligence.
According to Igwebueze, the suspects are currently in custody and will undergo thorough investigation before being charged in court. He stressed that the command is intensifying both overt and covert intelligence operations to safeguard national assets, particularly critical oil infrastructure.
“The NSCDC in Imo has scaled up intelligence gathering to secure vital facilities and protect the nation’s economy. Those involved in acts of vandalism should know that the law will catch up with them,” the commandant said.
He further appealed to residents to support the corps by providing accurate and verifiable information, assuring that informants’ identities would remain protected.
Meanwhile, the suspects—identified as farmers from Ubomiri in Emoha, Rivers State—claimed they were deceived by a man known only as Mr. Kingdom, who is currently at large. They alleged he lured them into transporting galvanized pipes into the bush under the cover of night.
The NSCDC has pledged to continue tracking accomplices linked to the case as part of efforts to curb petroleum theft and protect the nation’s oil infrastructure.
