Operatives of the Nigerian Navy, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, have arrested a suspected notorious pipeline vandal and his accomplice in Bayelsa State.
During the operation, a naval officer sustained a gunshot wound to the right leg.
The suspects, including one identified simply as Happiness, are believed to be linked to repeated attacks on oil pipelines and infrastructure around Clough Creek and nearby communities.
According to a statement issued by Commander Rasheed Iginla, Command Information Officer at the Headquarters of the Central Naval Command in Yenagoa, the arrests were made following a coordinated, intelligence-driven raid on the suspect’s residence in Egbema-Angalabiri, Ekeremor Local Government Area.
The operation was launched in response to a recent spike in pipeline vandalism and sabotage in the region.
Security operatives recovered a pump-action rifle and two walkie-talkies during the raid. The suspects, along with the recovered items, have been handed over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Bayelsa State Command, for further investigation.
The Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral S.D. Ibrahim, commended the Commanding Officer of Forward Operating Base FORMOSO, Captain S.K. Haruna, and his team for the successful operation, urging them to sustain efforts in combating oil theft and vandalism.
