Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

Soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) at the weekend arrested six suspected pipeline vandals.
The arrest was occasioned by an explosion suspected to have been instigated by vandals at the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) pipelines at Benikurukuru creek in Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa state.
According to investigation, military troops attached to the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) were alerted and they stormed the site but were confronted with gunfire by the suspected vandals.
A top military source disclosed that the military troops had to call for reinforcement and they were able to battle the suspected vandals with superior weapons forcing them to escape into the creeks.
The troops were said to have followed a lead and were able to effect the arrest of six suspects who confessed to be working for the vandals and provided the useful information to security operatives on their criminal activities in the area.
“The troops also recovered used and unused packets of dynamite cables, used ammunition shells as well as live vest.
“After the preliminary interrogation of the suspects, intelligence officers have taken over the case in Yenagoa and investigation is still ongoing to ascertain the syndicate involved in the pipeline vandalisation in the area,” the source said.