Police Arrest Two for Allegedly Vandalising N20m NPA Property

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Two persons have been arrested and paraded by the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) Police for allegedly vandalising Wharf quay Apron steel beam valued at N20million each at the Port Harcourt, Area one of the NPA.

The suspects are Williams Tabotamuno, 38, and Akpos Ekiye, 44, who were arrested following a timely report.

Parading the suspects yesterday, the Commissioner of Police, Eastern Port Command, Tami Evelyn Peterside, said the suspects were arrested about 10 p.m. on November 8, 2021, while trying to escape from men of Marine Police.

Peterside said the activities of the thieves were seriously affecting the durability of Wharf deck to the point that the platform is beginning to cave in.

She disclosed the value of the quay beam being stolen by the thieves at N20 million each.

The commissioner said: “In recent time, the Command had been inundated with activities of vandals at the port.

“However, on November 8, 2021, at about 10 p.m., acting on credible information that hoodlums were sighted cutting NPA Wharf steel beam underneath the Quay Apron in Port Harcourt valued at N20 million, the Ports Authority Police Eastern Command moved swiftly by deploying its marine team which pursue them in the coastal waters and arrested two suspects.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspects included one Tecno mobile phone, one canoe and two paddles, three gas cylinders of different sizes, two spanners, one wooden canoe with some particles of rusted iron fillings.”

Speaking further, the commissioner assured them that the arrest of the duo would reduce the illegal activities of vandals to save the quay apron from imminent collapse.

Meanwhile, the suspects denied the allegation, insisting that they were on the water channel in search of their missing relative when men of Marine Police arrested them, adding that the charge against them is bogus and unfounded.

Similarly, the command also paraded five Wharf thieves, who allegedly diverted 23 bags of wheat at the port.

The suspects are Chibuike Itemo, 31; Lucky Obenuwoma, 40; Jonathan Samuel, 27; Ebenezer Kingsley, 40, and Jonah Christmas, 25.

She said suspects would be charged to court after investigation.

Peterside promised that the driver of the truck, Akande Adeo, and his three accomplices are currently being tried by a court of competent jurisdiction in line with the constitution.

She urged members of the public to continue to co-operate with the Command, assuring the state that the ports would be raided of criminal activities.