Two Benin Republic nationals and three
others have been arrested by operatives of
Beecroft of the Nigerian Navy over alleged
vandalism in Lagos. They were alleged to have vandalised pipeline in
Makoko area of the state. Recovered from the suspects were 270 jerricans
filled with siphoned petroleum products. The Benin Republic nationals, however, told
Vanguard that they were fishermen, who fished in
Nigeria’s waters in company of some Nigerians.
The suspects
Parading the suspects before newsmen,
yesterday, the Base Operations Officer,
Commander Tanko Lengaya, explained that the
suspects were arrested in the early hours of
Saturday following a tip-off. He said: “Patrol boats were immediately deployed
from Atlas Cove in the process of which the
suspects were intercepted at Makoko area in two
canoes loaded with 270 50-litre jerricans filled
with the siphoned products and 49 empty
jerricans.” Preliminary investigation, according to him,
revealed that the suspects were working with
vandals who, after siphoning the product, would
hand them over to the arrested suspects for
onward sales to ready buyers. He said the suspects and the exhibits would be
handed over either to the police or officials of
Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps. But on their parts, the suspects claimed they were
fishermen who were compelled by some vandals
to take the products to the shore. According to a 27-year-old Joten Seigi from
Cotonou, Benin Republic, “I came from Cotonou
to fish in Nigeria. On that fateful day, I was in the
company of two of my friends, Segun and Victor,
when we saw some people on the sea. “We had not even caught any fish on that day.
The people told us to help them take the filled
jerricans to the shore, saying they would pay us
N5,000. We were tempted by the amount since
we had not made any money. Barely had we
loaded the boat and were on our way to the shore that we were rounded up by some Naval
personnel. “My regret is that my parents back home are not
aware of my whereabouts. I did not even get the
money promised at the end of the day. The
worste part is that those who gave us the
products are nowhere to be found, thereby
leaving us to our fate.” My arrest caused by greed On his part, Bambou Oritshebinone from Ondo
State, said he would not have been arrested but
for greed. He said: “I own the engine while Victor owns the
boat. I usually rent my engine out for N2,000. But
when Victor told me he would pay N5,000, I
thought he had a lucrative business he wanted to
do. So, I told him I must join him in the deal,
even though he resisted initially. “I thought I could get more than the amount he
promised to pay if I joined him. When we got to
the sea and started loading the filled jerricans into
my boat, I decided to increase the price to N7,000
which they agreed, only to be arrested mid way.
Had I known, I would have remained in my house.”
others have been arrested by operatives of
Beecroft of the Nigerian Navy over alleged
vandalism in Lagos. They were alleged to have vandalised pipeline in
Makoko area of the state. Recovered from the suspects were 270 jerricans
filled with siphoned petroleum products. The Benin Republic nationals, however, told
Vanguard that they were fishermen, who fished in
Nigeria’s waters in company of some Nigerians.
The suspects
Parading the suspects before newsmen,
yesterday, the Base Operations Officer,
Commander Tanko Lengaya, explained that the
suspects were arrested in the early hours of
Saturday following a tip-off. He said: “Patrol boats were immediately deployed
from Atlas Cove in the process of which the
suspects were intercepted at Makoko area in two
canoes loaded with 270 50-litre jerricans filled
with the siphoned products and 49 empty
jerricans.” Preliminary investigation, according to him,
revealed that the suspects were working with
vandals who, after siphoning the product, would
hand them over to the arrested suspects for
onward sales to ready buyers. He said the suspects and the exhibits would be
handed over either to the police or officials of
Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps. But on their parts, the suspects claimed they were
fishermen who were compelled by some vandals
to take the products to the shore. According to a 27-year-old Joten Seigi from
Cotonou, Benin Republic, “I came from Cotonou
to fish in Nigeria. On that fateful day, I was in the
company of two of my friends, Segun and Victor,
when we saw some people on the sea. “We had not even caught any fish on that day.
The people told us to help them take the filled
jerricans to the shore, saying they would pay us
N5,000. We were tempted by the amount since
we had not made any money. Barely had we
loaded the boat and were on our way to the shore that we were rounded up by some Naval
personnel. “My regret is that my parents back home are not
aware of my whereabouts. I did not even get the
money promised at the end of the day. The
worste part is that those who gave us the
products are nowhere to be found, thereby
leaving us to our fate.” My arrest caused by greed On his part, Bambou Oritshebinone from Ondo
State, said he would not have been arrested but
for greed. He said: “I own the engine while Victor owns the
boat. I usually rent my engine out for N2,000. But
when Victor told me he would pay N5,000, I
thought he had a lucrative business he wanted to
do. So, I told him I must join him in the deal,
even though he resisted initially. “I thought I could get more than the amount he
promised to pay if I joined him. When we got to
the sea and started loading the filled jerricans into
my boat, I decided to increase the price to N7,000
which they agreed, only to be arrested mid way.
Had I known, I would have remained in my house.”
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