The Edo State Task Force on Protection of Government Property has revealed extensive damage to the Warri-Kaduna crude oil pipeline in Ekperi, Etsako Central Local Government Area, where vandals allegedly excavated and stole approximately 30 kilometers of pipeline.
Six suspects have been arrested in connection with the vandalism, which was reportedly carried out with community collaboration.
Task Force Chairman Eugene Okoloise, addressing journalists in Benin City, disclosed that the suspects used excavators to remove the pipes. “We have set up a task force to watch over the pipelines, we have arrested seven excavators and some of the recovered pipes have been brought to Benin City and some of them are in Government House while some are here in our office,” Okoloise stated. He added that investigations revealed complicity among high-profile individuals in the community.
The task force also reported progress in other operations, including the arrest of five suspects in Uhuoghun, Orhionmwon LGA, for vandalizing government agricultural tractors and heavy equipment intended for illegal sale. Another five individuals were apprehended in Okpella for stealing high-tension electricity equipment.
Okoloise expressed concern over rampant encroachment on government lands, including reserved areas across the state. The task force has recovered 480 hectares of illegally sold government land, underscoring ongoing efforts to curb theft of public assets.
