(Ecofin Agency) - The Inspector General of Police Special Task Force On Pipeline Vandalism has arrested no less than 33 suspected vandals and recovered 330,000 litres of PMS, tapped from Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation’s (NNPC) pipelines and loaded into 10 trucks.

Commander of the task force, Valentine Olumese, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) disclosed this while handing over the recovered petroleum products to officials of the NNPC. He revealed that the arrest and recoveries were made in the last two months at various locations within the country.

Olumese, who recapped that the task force was ready to combat pipeline vandalism and illegal oil bunkering across the country, stated that it was adopting advanced and effective techniques in ensuring that pipeline vandalism is curbed without any loss of life. “This strategy is paying off immensely and it aimed at discouraging the vandals.   With the number of arrest and recoveries made so far, with no bloody confrontation with the vandals has shown that we are winning the war. I want to assure members of the public that we are not going to relent in our efforts, and we also ensure that those arrested face the full wrought of the law.  As I speak, all the suspects have been arraigned in the court and they currently been remanded in prison custody.” He said.

Meanwhile,  the Public Relations Officer, Pipeline and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) an affiliated company of the NNPC, Imodagde Nasir, who affirmed that the receipt of the recovered  stolen products, told Daily Independent  that the return of stolen  products, is an ongoing process between the NNPC and the security agents. He further stated that the recovered product would be returned to the system for decanting, adding that they had received over 80,000 litres and they are expecting more.