The coordinator of series of attacks on oil installation in the Niger Delta region was yesterday paraded along with some other suspects by the Nigerian Navy Ship in Delta State.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Nigerian Naval base command in Warri, the Commander of the NNS Delta, Commodore Raimi Mohammed, disclosed that a man believed to be the suspected coordinator of the multiple attacks on oil and gas facilities in Delta State has been arrested.
The suspected pipeline vandalizer was yesterday paraded along with some other suspects by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) in Warri, Delta State.
Commodore Mohammed described the arrest of the suspected coordinator of the attacks on Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) facilities as 'a star success', and believes that his arrest would curtail further attacks.
Mohammed, who did not name the suspects, particularly the three key suspects, said his command worked in synergy with other law enforcement agencies to achieve the feat, adding that they all followed up on the investigations and interrogations that made the arrests possible.
“Today I am pleased to announce that after several weeks of persistent efforts, the Nigerian Navy, in collaboration with other security agencies, has arrested the main coordinator of attacks on NNPC and Chevron oil and gas facilities that we have witnessed since May 4, 2016, with the attack on Chevron’s Okan valve platform, offshore Escravos.
“This arrest came after weeks of trailing and arrest of his foot-soldiers. It is important to mention that the suspect is also deeply involved in pipeline vandalism for stealing crude oil. He steals crude oil from about 35 abandoned oil well-heads and crude oil pipelines in Okpoko and Obodo in Warri South-West council area of Delta state. The Nigerian Navy believes with the arrest of this suspect, the attacks on Chevron/NNPC oil and gas facilities will abate,” the naval chief said.
He said that the command was on the trail of his collaborators and foot-soldiers, whom he said were on the run, adding that materials used in blowing up and vandalising facilities had been recovered.
Commodore Mohammed revealed that a key arrest had also been made in the investigation of the attack last week on the Shell Petroleum Development Company’s (SPDC’s) 48-inch crude export pipeline in Forcados.
Asked if any of the key arrests had led to the unveiling of those behind the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), the officer said his concern was not about names of persons or groups, but about the actual persons involved in the attacks.