NSCDC advocates 25-year jail term for pipeline vandals

Donatus Ikemefuna, Commandant, Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Friday advocated a 25-year jail term for pipeline vandals in the country.

Ikemefuna spoke in Lagos while briefing newsmen on the success recorded so far by the command. He said that the punishment should also be extended to anyone pronounced guilty of vandalising other public infrastructure or stealing natural resources.
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“If the penalty and prison term for oil theft or vandals is amended to 25 years, people will be tired after their release and may not have the required ability to perpetrate similar offense,” he said.

The commandant said that the command seized over 14,500 litres of petroleum products in the last six days and arrested three suspected vandals.

He said that the three suspects were caught with over 7,700 litres of petroleum products.

“We got information of the activities of the suspected vandals on the Lagos Island and our crack team went there and discovered over 170 jerry cans of 50 litres, each filled with petroleum products.

“The suspects jumped into the water to avoid arrest, but failed,” he said.

Ikemefuna said the three suspects were arrested on Thursday. According to him, the suspects will be charged to court as soon as the command concludes its investigation.

The commandant said that 16 persons earlier arrested for similar offences in July had been charged to court.
Ikemefuna urged vandals to keep off government property, noting that the command was ready to deal with anyone found wanting.