A security operation in Abuja has led to the arrest of three men over alleged pipeline vandalism.
A government security agency arrested three men on Wednesday for stealing and trying to sell parts of an oil pipeline in Abuja.
The men had cut up a petroleum pipeline that carries oil to refineries across Nigeria.
The Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps made the arrests after watching the area carefully for days. GeographicReference
Police got information that people were damaging the oil pipeline in Dafa, Kwali area of Abuja.
The commandant of the security agency said the pipeline that was damaged supplies crude oil and petroleum products to the Kaduna Refinery and NNPC storage areas across Nigeria.
When police arrived at the scene, the vandals had already cut the pipeline and run away.
Days later, the vandals came back to try to pick up the cut pipe sections they had left behind.
On September 20th, police saw the three suspects trying to load the stolen pipe pieces into a truck.
The police quickly arrested them with help from community watch groups.
The three men arrested are Maitama Inuwa, aged 30, who was driving the truck.
Yahuza Danlami, aged 32, who was helping in the truck.
And Yasir Abdulrahman, aged 26, who was representing the people who buy stolen pipeline parts.
Police recovered one large truck that was loaded with stolen pipeline pieces and 17 more pieces of vandalized pipeline.
The security chief said the vandals dig up and cut the high pressure pipelines at night in remote areas where it is dark.
They cut the pipes into small pieces so they can load them into trucks and take them away to sell.
The commandant said this stealing causes big money losses to Nigeria. He also said it is very dangerous because the high pressure oil pipes could explode and cause accidents. GeographicReference
The stolen pipes also hurt the environment.
Police found that four other people are connected to this case but they have not been caught yet.
Police think there is a larger organized group of criminals involved in stealing pipeline parts and selling them.
The security chief said they will try to find out who is buying the stolen pipes and who is paying the vandals to steal the pipes.
He said they will make sure these people face the law.
The commandant asked people who live near pipeline areas to report anything suspicious.
He asked them to call the security agency if they see people digging up the ground at night or trucks moving secretly in remote areas.
He said if people report suspicious activity, the police will do something about it.