Follow Us on Google
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Benue State Community Volunteer Guards (BSCVG) have apprehended two pipeline vandals in the Yakyor area near Apir, Makurdi. The culprits were tracked down and arrested over the weekend after selling their initial loot and sharing the N400,000 proceeds among six individuals.
Presenting the suspects to reporters in Makurdi on Monday, Governor Hyacinth Alia’s Special Adviser on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, PSP, condemned their actions as sabotage. He commended the BSCVG for their efforts and vowed that the government would make an example of the perpetrators to deter future offences.
“We must understand the seriousness of their actions,” Har emphasized. “Pipelines are critical national infrastructure, just like power and communication lines. During the military era, pipeline vandalism was punishable by execution on sight. Today, some people exploit democracy to commit unimaginable acts.”
He elaborated on the detrimental effects of pipeline vandalism, including damage to infrastructure, economic sabotage, and disruption of essential services. He highlighted the government’s commitment to collaborating with the judiciary to ensure the prosecution of such offenders.
“We’ve arrested these individuals before, but they are released soon after,” Har lamented. “This time, we will follow through because they are harming the economy.”
He emphasized the importance of using these individuals as examples to deter future vandalism and appealed to the youth to avoid criminal activities.
“They are getting away with it because of past instances,” Har explained. “The message to the youth will be based on what happens to these individuals. It’s a no-go area, and we’ll work harder to hold them accountable.”
He acknowledged Governor Alia’s efforts to maintain order in the state and urged everyone to participate. He warned that the volunteer guards have been deployed throughout the state, including the wards, and that the culprits will have no hiding place.
The BSCVG’s Operational Commander, DC Ops, Solomon Ayoosu, revealed that the apprehended individuals were previously involved in vandalizing rail tracks and sweepers before turning to pipelines. He urged the youth to cease such activities and parents to discourage their children from engaging in illegal acts.
The culprits, Levi Tyokyaa and Anongo Msughter confessed to their wrongdoing, claiming they were influenced by others who had profited from similar activities for a long time. Tyokyaa, who believed the pipes were no longer useful to the government, pleaded for forgiveness and promised not to repeat the offence.
Tyokyaa and his accomplices had sold their initial batch of pipes for N400,000, with each receiving N53,000 before their apprehension.
