Why suspected pipeline vandals want Kumuyi to intervene

*The suspected pipeline vandals paraded by NSCDC in Lagos again
By Bose Adelaja

For suspected pipeline vandal, Imeh Etim, 27, only the urgent intervention of the General Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, can rescue him from his present predicament. Ime who said he has been a member of Pastor Kumuyi’s church for the past 13 years wants the cleric to use his good office to save him from an uncertain fate.
Imeh was arrested recently with two of his siblings, Bassey, 25 and Effiong, 32 and a family friend, Samuel Christopher, at Ojo area of Lagos during a raid by agents of the anti-vandals department of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Lagos State Command, in connection with pipeline vandalism.

But Imeh, who claimed he was a fisherman, said he was arrested when he paid a visit to his elder brother, Effiong, a palm wine taper, also in Ojo area of Lagos. The four were paraded by NSCDC Lagos State Commandant Shem Obafaye, at the State Secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja. But in a dramatic twist, Imeh, Bassey and Christopher are now accusing Effiong of being responsible for their trouble.

While Imeh claimed he was a fisherman, Bassey and Christopher said they were commercial motorcyclists, while Effiong was a palm wine tapper.

Speaking with Vanguard Metro, VM, Etim said he had issued several warnings to his brother to quit the palm wine business because of the danger associated with it but Effiong had turned deaf ears to the warnings.

Imeh said he had repeatedly urged other members of their family to use everything at their disposal to stop Effiong from continuing with the business. ‘’Despite the fact that he has been in the palm wine business for many years, he cannot make ends meet. Apart from this, the job is strenuous and he usually runs to us for money. That is why I asked him to stop the business but he remained adamant until law enforcement agents came there and arrested us,’’ he said.

Asked if he was aware of illegal bunkering going on in the area, he responded thus: ‘’Yes, all of us are aware; and that is part of the reasons why I asked him to choose another vocation. Now see what his stubbornness has caused the entire family. I usually go there to remind him of the danger ahead not knowing that last weekend’s visit will land me in trouble’’.

Giving their own account, Bassey and Christopher said on that fateful day, Effiong visited their park and asked for a ride to the forest in order to transport some gallons of palm wine. But it turned out to be a ride into trouble as they landed into the hands of law enforcement agents who arrested them and impounded their motorcycles. ‘’He begged us for a ride into the forest to tap palm wine as he did not have enough money for fare, but the law enforcement agents met us on the way and arrested us,’’ they said.

In his own account, Effiong said: ‘’I am a palm wine tapper and I am aware of illegal bunkering in the forest but I regret my failure to inform security agents of the atrocities in the area until they raided the place’’.

Parading the suspects, Obafaye said two motorcycles were also impounded on that day as well as 750 litres of petroleum products, adding: ‘’We received an intelligent report that some vandals wanted to operate in the area and we carried out a surveillance; our men were inside the forest for over 14 hours and when the suspected vandals eventually came around, we arrested. We have our intelligence team in every nook and cranny and today, we thank God that those who are actually perpetrating the evil have been nabbed.

“Arepo is opened up now, the bush and illegal structures built around the place have been cleared. So, no more hiding place for the vandals at Arepo. But it’s like the vandals have crossed over to places like Akute and Ojo. When your opponent is stronger than you, you have no option than to surrender; the vandals were overwhelmed by the sheer number of our men last weekend’’.