Hoodlums in military uniform damage fuel pipeline in Lagos

Some hoodlums, who were allegedly dressed as soldiers on Thursday at Tunde Alabi Crescent, Mafon in the Ejigbo area of Lagos state vandalised a petrol pipeline, drained off the product into four trucks and escaped before dawn.

Residents of the area who spoke with news men said the incident happened between 12am and 2am adding that they assumed the men in military uniforms to be officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

They added that they did not know the truth until around 4.13am, when they saw some policemen and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, who barricaded the area and prevented the movement of people.

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The Chairman of the area John Akinnubi, said the community experienced a similar problem about six years ago adding that water from wells and boreholes in the area was contaminated due to rusty pipes.

However, NNPC officials were reported to have arrived at the scene to repair the vandalised point of the pipeline including NSCDC, the police, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency and the fire service.

The Public Relations Officer, NSCDC, Kehinde Bada, who confirmed the incident, said the NSCDC personnel had been positioned in the area to prevent any action that could trigger a fire disaster even after the leakage had been stopped.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, also confirmed the incident and said investigation was ongoing.

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