The officer in charge of Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Unit, Friday Ibadin, spoke with ENIOLA AKINKUOTU on Sunday on the pipeline explosion.
What are the challenges police are facing as regards pipeline vandalism in the area?
You heard what the governor said, if we
can have proper platforms as well as swamp boogies, we will be able to
patrol the area effectively but because the area is swampy and there are
no platforms, it is hard to police it (area).
How many suspects have you arrested so far?
We arrested three suspects; one Sunday
Reuben, Bimiwe Akpasimore and a medical doctor, Odusina Adegboyega, who
was conveying Reuben to a hospital for treatment.
Is there cooperation from the villagers as regards pipeline vandalism?
In Arepo, pipeline vandalism is like a
family business. Reuben’s father was one of those arrested for the
murder of the three officials last year while his mother actively
involved in the pipeline vandalism that caused the explosion on
Saturday.
What is the situation now?
Reuben died on Sunday morning at the
Lagos University Teaching Hospital but Akpasimore is still at the
emergency ward at the hospital and the doctor is claiming that he has no
case to answer because he was honouring his Hippocratic oath but
investigations are ongoing.
Will more arrests be made?
Most of the survivors have fled. When we
visited the area again, we saw some bodies floating. We also recovered
a camouflage jacket but we are still carrying out surveillance because
some of those hoodlums may still be around.
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