Police arrest sergeant and 18 others for pipeline theft in Abia

The Abia State Police Command confirmed on Thursday that they arrested a police sergeant and 18 others for stealing underground pipelines in Umunneochi LGA.

According to PUNCH Metro, troops from the Nigerian Army’s 143 Battalion caught the suspects during a security operation. They arrested the 19 suspected vandals as they were loading stolen pipelines into a heavy-duty trailer.

The suspects were caught on Friday while they were involved in the theft. The Head of Media and Public Relations for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, CSC Ndukwe Agu Egwu, shared on Thursday that the suspects are being profiled and will soon appear in court.

The operation has received praise from the Executive Mayor of Isuikwuato LGA, Hon. Chinedu Ekeke. He commended the Commanding Officer of the 143 Battalion, Lt Col A. M. Rabe, and Lt F. A. Bashir, the leader of the arresting team, for their quick action and dedication that led to the arrests.

After the arrests, Ekeke described the operation as a major win in the fight against vandalism. He said it helps protect both public and private property in the area.

The mayor highlighted that the military's actions show how officers should perform their duties fairly and without bias. He reminded everyone that just days before the arrests, he had raised concerns about the rising vandalism cases in the LGA.

These included attempts to steal materials at the council’s pig farm and high-tension cables from Amiyi Obinaohia to ABSU, plus other incidents involving public assets. He stressed the need for strong measures to protect infrastructure and public resources.

Ekeke assured residents that the suspects would face the full force of the law. The 19 arrested include one sergeant, whose name has not been revealed, and is a police officer from the Ovim Division of the Nigeria Police Force.

PUNCH Metro also learned that the group includes a truck driver, a bus driver, a conductor, 12 loaders, and two panel beaters or metal cutters. After their arrest, the suspects were handed over to the NSCDC for further investigation and prosecution.

Confirming the sergeant's arrest, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, said, “We are investigating the matter,” when asked by PUNCH Metro.