Police Apprehend Agip IPP Vandals, Burst Illegal Arms Manufacturing Workshop

By Amos Igbebe
A civil servant with Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Enudi Marcus, has been arrested by the operatives of Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad (SAKS) of the Delta State Police Command in connection with the vandalisation of the Independent Power Plant (IPP) Transmission Lines of Nigeria Agip Oil Company NAOC) over two weeks ago.
Enudi, who is also the Youth President of Ndokwa Neku Union (NNU) was among the Ndokwa youths who had threatened to shut-down the IPP facility of the oil firm should it fail to step down its IPP in Ndokwa communities within a stipulated time frame given to the firm.
The failure of the oil firm to meet the 21 day ultimatum by the Ndokwa youths angered the youths, hence the secret vandalisation of the oil facilities in Okpai, the community hosting the oil firm in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State.
In a statement made available to journalists in Asaba, the Delta State capital, Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, said a combined team of SAKS combed the Ndokwa communities and apprehended the suspect, having received reports of facility vandalisation from the oil firm.
She said Enudi’s accomplices in the dastardly act were on the run but assured that the police would spread its dragnet and track the fleeing suspects to their hideout and bring them to face the full weight of the law.
It could be recalled that Ndokwa communities had accused Agip of reneging on its promise of stepping down its IPP in Ndokwa communities over 10 years ago when the plant was commissioned by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In a similar development, the Delta police had raided an illegal arms manufacturing workshop located in the home of one Victor Adogbeji in Ebuzunadaka Area of Obiaruku, the headquarters of Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State.
In the statement, the Police Image maker said the arrest was made following a tip off from members of the public that the manufacturing workshop was ongoing in the said residence.
Among the suspects were one Ngozi Adogbeji, 50 and Ewere Salami, 25 with the recovery of Electric cutting machine, filing machine, generator set and shot guns of various makes and sizes at different stages of completion.