Police officers recently apprehended six pipeline vandals including a 65- year-old man, Salami Amodu who sarcastically maintained that he thought it was holy water.
Also arrested were, Bruce Ekonen, Joseph Ofoeyeno, Francis Ode, Bruce Ekonen and Kola Ifatoye with about 100 gallons of PMS alleged to have been vandalized from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation,NNPC, pipeline at Idimagboro, in Sagamu area of Ogun state.
In a bid to convince the police of his innocence Baba stated: “I was on my way home when a man popularly known as Alfa stopped me. He promised to pay me N5000 per trip if I can help him to carry 10 gallons of liquid. I thought it was water so, I did not bother to ask, since it’s a good business. It is possible that the water could be anointed since he was ready to pay as much as N5000.
“It was while we were on our way that I started to perceive the odour of fuel. I asked him and he told me that it was fuel. I was so annoyed and I shouted at him for not telling me in the first place what was in the gallons. Initially, I wanted to stop the car and ask him to off load the vehicle but when I realized that we were almost close to his destination, I decided to continue. I am aware that vandals normally pass through that route that was why I was very angry with him.”
When asked how long he has helped people to carry water from the bush to their destination, Baba said, “In that area, people go for prayers. Clerics come to that area to buy holy water to perform miracle. Most of the times when I am done with the day’s job especially if I did not make much money, I will go down to the bush area to see if there is anyone who needs lift. I also ensure that I do not carry vandals because those days when I used to help them, it landed me into trouble with security men. Although, there is money to make in that business but the risk is much. This was why I stopped a long time ago till Alfa deceived me into carrying fuel for him.”
Baba pleaded that he should be forgiven, “ I am very sorry. It is of no use denying that I was not involved because I was caught with the product. Life has been unfair to me if not, at this age, why should I be hustling for money to feed and take care of my family. I am very sorry.”
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