The Joint Task Force comprising the Nigerian Army, NSCDC, the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), were said to have been working as a team against the nefarious activities of vandals. Recently, the NSCDC officials had a clash with the Ogun State Police Command, who thought it wise to set the exhibits recovered from the vandals ablaze. FOLAKE SOKOYA writes: Ogun Police, NSCDC fight dirty over vandals’ exhibits If the authorities concerned do not wade into the brewing crisis between the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), it may cause an irredeemable havoc and insecurity in the state. This is coming on the heels of the disagreements that broke out among the men and officers of the Joint Taskforce on vandalism. The joint task force, comprising the Nigerian Army, NSCDC, the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), were said to have been working as a team until recently during an operation they had gone for at the Simawa area of Sagamu town in Ogun State. Sunday Newswatch gathered that the joint task force, acting on a tipoff on Tuesday October 08, 2013, had taken a swoop on the vandals around 3.30/ 4.00 am at the Simawa axis where oil pipelines are located. They were able to apprehend the vandals red handed as they were busy scooping PMS at one of the vandalised spots. Three suspects, Adeoye Isiaka, Saliu Aliu and Seun Ogunsanwo, were arrested while others escaped. However, an argument was said to have erupted when Supol Kayode, the leader of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Squad on Pipeline Monitoring and the representative of the NNPC teamed up and shocked their other colleagues when they suggested that the exhibits comprising seven vehicles and some 50-litre jerry cans that were recovered from the suspected vandals be set ablaze instead of handing them over to the court for evidence. The suggestion was turned down by both the representative of the NSCDC and the IPMAN, but instead of Supol Kayode to let the matter die, he was said to have insisted that the exhibits be set ablaze, claiming that it was an order from the NPF hierarchy. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Dangogo Ibrahim was said to have stepped aside when the argument started and when his opinion was sought, he was said to have advised the parties at loggerheads to resolve their differences amicably and decide on the right and appropriate decision to take. This one sided order was said to have been rebuffed by the NSCDC Commandant, Mr. Ebenezer Aboluwaye, who vehemently opposed such order and argued that if the exhibits were set ablaze on the spot, what evidences would the prosecutor present to the court in the cause of seeking proper justice for suspects that were arrested when taken to court for prosecution. Aboluwaye was said to have insisted that he would never be a party to such an unlawful suggestion and decision except a written statement from the Nigeria Police and the NNPC was handed to him supporting such decision. He was said to have even agreed that he would let the two operatives do whatever pleased them if their representatives could sign an undertaking that they were the ones that burnt the exhibits, a suggestion that was turn down without hesitation. This however made the Commandant walked out from the scene in company of the military team, the arrested suspects and the jerry cans of petroleum products, leaving behind the apprehended vehicles with the police team and the NNPC representative, both operatives that had insisted on setting the exhibits ablaze. When Sunday Newswatch contacted the NSCDC spokesman, Mr. Kareem Lanre, he said it was true and that the suspected vandals that were arrested and the jerry cans filled with petroleum products were taken to their headquarters in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, adding that investigation was still ongoing and that they would be charged to court for prosecution as soon as investigation was completed. He also gave the details of the exhibit vehicles to include: Mazda 323 registration number TM 208 KJA, Astral Opel YB 864 EPE, Mazda 323 KF 873 EKF, Toyota Space Wagon PR 799 KJA, Space Wagon Mitsubishi (no number plate number), Toyota Sienna (no number plate) and Honda FKJ 137 BR. On his view of why the Police insisted on burning the vehicles, Aboluwaye said he could only attribute NPF’s attitude to ego. He said he wondered why the Police would disobey the President’s order by obstructing them from carrying out their number one mandate of ridding the state of vandals and watch over the pipelines barely two weeks after the national security meeting in Abuja where President Goodluck Jonathan laid emphasis on the mandates of the NSCDC and said that all agencies should work hand in hand, as a team to make sure that lives and properties are adequately secured. He also said that the adamant posture of the police in setting the seven (7) exhibit vehicles ablaze has allegedly been linked to the possible means of covering up their involvement in shady deals with vandals’ in that area. Information from a very reliable source who was also a witness at the scene of the incidence told Sunday Newswatch that the police do take returns from vandals to allow them carry out their nefarious activities freely and that it was the Police that the vandals call to come to their rescue anytime any other agency apprehend them. He stated further that he heard the NNPC man said he pitched his tent with the Police because NNPC do not recognize NSCDC and that the latter does not have the NNPC mandate unlike the Police that are fully equipped with the mandate details. When the Ogun State Public Relations Officer, DSP Adejobi Muyiwa, was contacted, he did not pick his call as usual. The NNPC Media Head, Mr. Umar Farouk, when contacted, said he wasn’t aware that such incidence happened in Ogun State and promised to get back. When he eventually fulfilled his promise by replying, he said he was unable to get in touch with the Ogun State wing of their company but promised to keep trying and feed Sunday Newswatch back as soon as he got the details, but he hadn’t got back as at press time.
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 13:27:40 +0000