Even as the nation continues to experience long queues at filling stations due to fuel scarcity, residents of Ijedodo, Ijagemo and Ijegun suburbs in Alimosho areas of Lagos State have raised alarm that fuel is being siphoned from government pipelines belonging to Petroleum Product Pipeline Marketing Company (PPPMC) and sold out cheaply.
Investigations by Shipping Position Daily revealed that dare-devil militants and pipeline vandals in the area have become more daring by siphoning directly from the government pipeline and selling directly to petroleum trucks that are usually driven to the creeks.
Some residents of the area confirmed to our correspondent last week that the community of Ijagemo, Ijedodo and other communities around Ijegun are no longer conducive because the vandals have taken over the community with their nefarious activities.
One of the landlords in the area told our correspondent everybody is living in trepidation because the boys are heavily armed and that they are always shooting sporadically.
But Shipping Position Daily findings last week revealed that the Federal Government has got wind of the illegal activities and had last week Monday deployed three armoured tanks and troops of Nigerian Army officers to restore peace and sanity into the area.
One of the residents, a maritime expert (who pleaded anonymity) confirmed to our correspondent that before the arrival of the solders, trucks would come directly into the creeks and drive out with a full load of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
He said that residents are usually harassed by the boys once it is late, and he even told our correspondent that families now live in constant fear, while some had to vacate their homes.
The residents however heaved a sigh of relieve when battalions of army were deployed to restore sanity.
An eye witnesses, who spoke our correspondent, recalled that "There are solders around the area now, the boys have gone into hiding. The Nigerian army were stemmed to the area on Monday at about 4am, they were up to 1000 solders with three armoured tanks"
He added that, "Since then, we have had some respite and we can sleep well now. One of them was the mastermind of the robbery at a bank in Agbara recently"
"The solders are combing everywhere now"
"Buhari as the minister of petroleum has demonstrated his commitment to protecting the pipelines not only in Ijegun, but also in Festac Town and every other place, the solders are all over"
"The solders are combing the area and arresting the cohorts and collaborators of the vandals trading and buying the products, they are torturing them seriously now as I speak"
"Many of their kingpins have been arrested and they are now torturing them, some have ran away, investigation and information gathering is on-going" he said.
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