Police Arrest Seven Suspected Pipeline Vandals, Recover 285 Stolen NNPCL Pipelines in Adamawa

Police Arrest Seven Suspected Pipeline Vandals, Recover 285 Stolen NNPCL Pipelines in Adamawa

The Nigeria Police Force has dismantled a suspected pipeline vandalism syndicate in Adamawa State, arresting seven suspects and recovering 285 pieces of vandalized Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) pipelines during a coordinated intelligence-led operation.

The operation was carried out by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering, in collaboration with the IGP X-Squad.

According to the police, the breakthrough came on July 9 when officers intercepted a blue J5 bus with registration number KRD 767 XC along the Yola–Numan Road. The vehicle was allegedly transporting stolen NNPCL pipeline materials.

The bus was driven by Paul Joshua (49), while Paul Ishiyaku (48) was also arrested at the scene. Further investigations led to the arrest of five additional suspects identified as Haruna Usman (28), Haruna Muhammed Sule (30), Dabus Peter (38), Ahmad Adamu (19), and Sadik Ibrahim (31).

During the operation, police recovered 285 vandalized pipeline sections, six gas cylinders, diggers, shovels, and the J5 bus allegedly used to transport the stolen materials.

The suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue to identify other members of the syndicate and uncover the full extent of the illegal pipeline vandalism network.