OIL THEFT BUSTED: End of the road for pastor, herbalist, 26 others

Ajuwa in Ikenne local government area of Ogun State is known for its agrarian nature. But many of the villagers seem to have, lately, abandoned agriculture for the more lucrative business of pipeline vandalisation. They burst the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) pipelines passing through their village to steal fuel which they sell. We gathered that, apart from Arepo village in Obafemi-Owode local government area of Ogun State, where some vandals lost their lives while scooping fuel, last year, the next hot spot for black market for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, is Ajuwa. It was reliably gathered that pipeline vandalisation had been on going in the area for a long time before security men raided the village and arrested 28 suspected oil thieves who were mostly youths and artisans . It was gathered that a herbalist, a pastor as well as a young woman who claimed to have just been divorced by her former husband were among the suspects. The raid, executed by men of Nigerian Army from 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta and those of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence in Ogun State, followed a tip-off by some of the villagers.