Suspected oil thieves escape death in Bayelsa creek

Providence averted what could have
been the tragic death of some suspected oil
thieves in the deep swamp of Brass in Brass Local
Government Area of Bayelsa State, when a
pipeline they were tampering with burst and went
up in flames. The near tragic incident, it was learnt, occurred on
the Obama-Brass flow line owned by the Nigerian
Agip Oil Company, NAOC. The suspected oil thieves believed to be part of
the syndicate involved in illegal bunkering on the
Brass Island were said to have attempted to
siphon crude oil from the facility, when it went up
in flames ostensibly due to the pressure exerted
on it. The metal object which they used to drill the
pipeline reportedly caused a spark and caused
inferno in the area. The suspects were said to have escaped death by
the whiskers as they beat a quick retreat into the
mangrove swamp. A security source, who spoke under anonymity,
said “the fire was heavy. But the vandals escaped.
They must have sustained injuries because of the
way the incident occurred.” According to him, “they were tampering with the
pipeline when it burst into flames. The affected
pipeline belonged to Agip. Officials of Agip had
mobilised to the site of the incident. Contacted, the Media Coordinator of the Joint Task
Force in the Niger Delta codenamed Operation
Pulo Shield, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said
that the incident occurred at a previously reported
breach point on the pipeline.