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By Rose Oladele
The alleged ringleader of a notorious pipeline vandals gang has been arrested by men of the Nigerian Navy under the ongoing Operation Awase.
Operation Awase was set up by the Nigerian Army in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy in 2014 to tackle the vandalisation of NNPC pipelines in Majidun, Ikorodu and other parts of the state.
According to leader of the operation, Rear Admiral Obed Ngalabak, Shuaibu and his gang were known for vandalising oil pipelines under the Altas Cove covering about 70 kilometers.
The Atlas Cove Depot in Lagos was designed to receive imported petroleum products and through it line products are distributed to various part of the country.
It was gathered that Shuaibu operates at Ilashe community. They vandals were said to have buried drums by the sides of each pipeline to siphon products when being released from the Atlas cove to other depots.
Shuaibu is said to be a veteran in the act, having been in it for 30 years and trained several other vandals.
Ngalabak told newsmen that the operation will not rest until all those involved in oil pipeline vandalism are arrested and brought to book.
He called for support on logistics for the operation to work effectively and urged Nigerians to support every effort that would help to curb pipeline vandalism for economic growth and development in the country.