Police arraign more suspected pipeline vandals
APRIL 30, 2013
The police on Monday added four men to the six they had earlier arraigned in November 2012 before a Federal High Court, Lagos, for the murder of three Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s engineers and the vandalism of oil pipeline in Arepo.
The 10 accused are now facing an amended charge comprising seven counts to which they all pleaded not guilty.
They were said to have committed the alleged offences around 6am on September 5, 2012.
The four accused, who were on Monday added to the list of the suspected offenders are Jigo Jiperende (31), Timi Koro (29), Johnbosco Igbhofose (26), and Peter Opidi (28).
Others, who had earlier been arraigned are Joel Inerepamu (25), Rueben Oluwole (60), John Isaiah (28), Ineye Okposa (40), Timi Gunugunu (22) and Olisa Saheed (25).
At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, Prosecutor Justin Enang said he had filed an amended charge to reflect the names of the new accused.
The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, ordered the accused to be remanded in prison and adjourned the case until May 17 for trial.
The accused were said to have on September 5, 2012 at about 6am in Arepo, Ogun State, conspired to vandalise an oil pipeline located in the vicinity, and scooped out large quantities of petroleum for illegal sale.
Enang alleged that the accused, who were armed with guns, opened fire on sighting NNPC’s engineers assigned to the maintenance of the pipelines in the area.
According to the prosecutor, the offences contravene the Sections 3(6), 7(a), 7(b), and 17(a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The offence of murder, he said, also contravenes the provisions of Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
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