Desmond Iwuchukwu
In line with the ongoing effort of the Federal Government to combat crude oil theft in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry, security operatives have apprehended three suspected oil thieves who specialize in vandalizing oil installations including wellheads, flow lines, pipelines, and other installations with a view to stealing crude oil.
The three men were caught breaking and removing wellhead installations of Belemaoil facilities within the Idama Oil Field in the Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Reports say the vandals were arrested on October 15th, 2022 within the general area of OML-55 Field by gallant men of 103 Battalion of the Nigerian Army acting on a tip-off base on credible intelligence.
The suspects completely vandalized all accessories of the Well-head and were about to cart away the stolen items before they were apprehended by the military on general field patrol.
On sighting the military, the vandals fled into the mangrove but luck ran out for the three who were arrested.
The suspects had also vandalized two other Oil Wells within the Idama Oil Field before they were apprehended.
Several items including oil-well accessories were recovered from the suspects at the time of their arrest by the military.
The suspects have been transferred to a higher authority in the military for further investigation and subsequent prosecution.
It would be recalled that a similar incident occurred in the Aiteo oilfield where vandals destroyed the wellhead and created an uncontrollable wellhead fire outbreak leading to huge environmental pollution and nationwide outrage.
