Navy arrests two Beninoise, three others over pipeline vandalism

By EVELYN USMAN

LAGOS — Two Benin Republic nationals and three others have been arrested by operatives of Beecroft of the Nigerian Navy over alleged vandalism in Lagos.

They were alleged to have vandalised pipeline in Makoko area of the state.

Recovered from the suspects were 270 jerricans filled with siphoned petroleum products.

The Benin Republic nationals, however, told Vanguard that they were fishermen, who fished in Nigeria’s waters in company of some Nigerians.

[caption id="attachment_411991" align="alignnone" width="412"] The suspects[/caption]

Parading the suspects before newsmen, yesterday, the Base Operations Officer, Commander Tanko Lengaya, explained that the suspects were arrested in the early hours of Saturday following a tip-off.

He said: “Patrol boats were immediately deployed from Atlas Cove in the process of which the suspects were intercepted at Makoko area in two canoes loaded with 270  50-litre jerricans filled with the siphoned products and 49 empty  jerricans.”

Preliminary investigation, according to him, revealed that the suspects were working with vandals who, after siphoning the product, would hand them over to the arrested suspects for onward sales to ready buyers.

He said the suspects and the exhibits would be handed over either to the police or officials of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

But on their parts, the suspects claimed they were fishermen who were compelled by some vandals to take the products to the shore.

According to a 27-year-old Joten Seigi from Cotonou, Benin Republic, “I came from Cotonou to fish in Nigeria. On that fateful day, I was in the company of two of my friends, Segun and Victor, when we saw some people on the sea.

"We had not even caught any fish on that day. The people told us to help them take the filled jerricans to the shore, saying they would pay us N5,000. We were tempted by the amount since we had not made any money. Barely had we loaded the boat and were on our way to the shore that we were rounded up  by some Naval personnel.

“My regret is that my parents back home are not aware of my whereabouts. I did not even get the money promised at the end of the day. The worste part is that those who gave us the products are nowhere to be found, thereby leaving us to our fate.”

My arrest caused  by greed

On his part, Bambou Oritshebinone from Ondo State, said he would not have been arrested but for greed.

He said: “I own the engine while Victor owns the boat. I usually rent my engine out for N2,000. But when Victor told me he would pay N5,000, I thought he had a lucrative business he wanted to do. So, I told him I must join him in the deal, even though he resisted initially.

"I thought I could get more than the amount he promised to pay if I joined him. When we got to the sea and started loading the filled jerricans into my boat, I decided to increase the price to N7,000 which they agreed, only to be arrested mid way. Had I known, I would have remained in my house.”

 

Navy arrests alleged fake commander

BY EVELYN USMAN
LAGOS — The Nigerian Navy, NN, has arrested a man allegedly  masquerading as a commander in the service, at Liverpool area of Lagos.

The suspect, Alfred Oniye, who could have passed for a genuine commander to both serving naval personnel and civilians alike, was reportedly arrested by a naval patrol team. The suspect had full naval uniform,  identity card and rank.

Parading the suspect, weekend, Executive Officer, NNS  Beecroft, Captain James Pindar, said Oniye met his waterloo following the suspicious manner he acknowledged salute from the ratings on patrol. Before he was arrested, he explained that following several complaints received on the likes of Oniye, the Navy commenced a clampdown which had led to several arrests.

Explaining how he was arrested, Pindar said: “The way he acknowledged the greeting gave him away and when asked to identify  himself, he said he was the Commanding officer,  NNS Pathfinder, Port Harcourt. That again, gave him away because that post is manned by a Commodore, and not a Commander. He is one among several others who has been giving the Navy bad image. We arrested six of such persons recently.  We are therefore, warning others to desist because the NN is not the type of service they can impersonate”, he stated.

However on his part the suspect disclosed that he was a Merchant Navy personnel, saying he only identified himself as a Navy Commander  to avoid being beaten to stupor by the naval ratings.

According to him, “I  alighted from my car for an inspection when I was arrested. I identified myself as a Commander on NNS Pathfinder because I did not want them to kill me. If I had not said that, they would have killed me because immediately I said so, the beating reduced and they brought me to their base.

“ I am not a fake Merchant Navy personnel. I even told them to take me to our directorate in Olodi Apapa area of Lagos to ascertain whether I am a Merchant navy or not.

“I have not committed any crime because this uniform is what Merchant Navy used to colonize us.  It was when we were having problem with the Navy that the directorate instructed we changed the appellate to cross.”

Asked where he got the uniform from , he claimed to have bought it from an undisclosed person, while Naval authorities said he would be handed over to the police for prosecution.