Matilda Omonaiye/
The police in Lagos have uncovered a new mode of petrol smuggling after intercepting suspected pipeline vandals in Ejigbo area of the state.
According to Lagos police spokesman, DSP Bala Elkana, vandals using sacks to smuggle petrol from burst pipelines in Ikorodu area of the state were intercepted by policemen on anti-crime monitoring duty at Canoe area of Ejigbo last Thursday.
Elkana told how the police team led by one Sgt Sunday Joseph busted the smuggling ring when they flagged down a suspicious looking Fiat Bus partly painted in Lagos yellow commercial bus colour and alien shade of blue at about 12:30 pm.
He revealed in a statement that three occupants of the bus were pursued when they jumped down and fled. One was caught.
The arrested suspect identified as Wasiu Oyewole, who resides at 3, Oluwaseyi Street, Agodo Egbe in Lagos, allegedly confessed that he and the other suspects who escaped by jumping into a canal, loaded the bus marked LND 825 BC with multiple sacks filled with Petrol.
He allegedly claimed that the product was tapped from NNPC pipeline in Owutu end of Agric area of Ikorodu.
He also allegedly revealed that they were taking the product to a sales point in Ijegun.
Elkana said that NNPC officials had been contacted “to decant the product”, while officers are making further efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects.
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