A vandalised NNPC pipeline

Nkiruka Okoh

The people of Arepo in Ogun State have absolved themselves of the recent pipeline vandalism that claimed no fewer than 30 lives in the area.

In a statement signed by the secretary of the Arepo Oba-in-council, Victor Olajide, dismissed any insinuations that may link the people to the vandals.

Petroleum pipelines in the community recently went up in flames following activities of vandals.

The dubious act  led to the death of about 30 people.

However, riding on the authority of the Olu of Arepo, Oba Solomon Atanda Oyebi, the secretary in his statement described the act as barbaric, adding that it was perpetuated by the Ijaw people who live in the area.

According to him, “not a single Arepo indigene has been arrested and police records revealed that those arrested are non-indigenes. The name Arepo is synonymous with palm oil and not petroleum products and the people are land merchants, making enough resources from their trade. We will never demean ourselves in the breaking of pipeline or siphoning of fuel, it is criminal and we will not do it.”

Further buttressing his point, Olajide said: “Most casualties or arrested youths are usually of the ijaw extraction. The records are with the police to show those that were arrested recently for the killings of the innocent NNPC engineers are all from the Niger-Delta.”