By Joel Gwom,
The Federal Capital Territory, FCT Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has arrested three suspects for alleged criminal conspiracy and vandalism of Nigeria National Petroleum Company, NNPC, pipelines in Dafa, Kwali Area Council of the FCT.
The FCT Commandant, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, disclosed this during a press briefing at the NSCDC Kwali Divisional Office on Tuesday, 23rd September, 2026.
Commandant Odumosu said the breakthrough was achieved through intelligence-led operations, community collaboration and sustained surveillance by operatives of the Command, in line with the core mandate of the NSCDC under the supervision of the Commandant-General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi.
He explained that credible intelligence on vandalism activities along the pipeline Right of Way, ROW, in the area led to prolonged surveillance by the tactical team in Kwali Division and the eventual interception of three individuals suspected to belong to an organized criminal syndicate.
According to him, the operation has effectively disrupted a major network responsible for sabotaging the NNPC pipelines built to supply crude oil and petroleum products to Kaduna Refinery and NNPC depots across the country.
Giving details of the operation, the Commandant said operatives, acting on intelligence provided by a Vigilante Group collaborating with the Kwali Division, had mounted surveillance in the area, but the suspects initially fled and abandoned already severed petroleum pipes upon sighting security operatives.
He said the monitoring paid off on 20th September, 2026, when the suspects returned to load the abandoned iron pipes into a truck, leading to their arrest by NSCDC operatives supported by vigilante members, while other members of the gang escaped into the surrounding bush.
According to the commandant, the arrested suspect are : Maitama Inuwa, 30, from Rafin Dadi, Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State, driver of the truck with registration number MAK 159 XA (Niger), Yahuza Danlami, 32, from Anguwan Kataf, Mariri, Lere LGA of Kaduna State, motor boy of the truck; and Yasir Abdulrahman, 26, from Gajiri Village, Suleja, Niger State, said to be the representative of the dealers of the vandalized pipes.
The Commandant added that preliminary investigation by the Intelligence and Investigation Department has identified four other individuals allegedly connected to the activities who are currently at large.
Items recovered at the scene include one long commercial truck with registration number MAK 159 XA (Niger) loaded with vandalized NNPC petroleum pipes, and seventeen pieces of vandalized NNPC petroleum pipes.
On their modus operandi, Odumosu said investigations showed that the vandals operate in remote and forested areas where petroleum pipelines transit through the FCT, where they dig up and cut high-pressure pipelines into sizeable pieces under the cover of darkness.
He said the act causes massive economic losses and poses risks of catastrophic explosions and environmental degradation.
On next steps, the Commandant said the suspects have undergone preliminary investigation, intense profiling and have been granted administrative bail, while the Legal Unit will review the case file for appropriate legal action in accordance with extant laws.
He assured that investigation would be conducted professionally and transparently, and that anyone found to have participated in, facilitated or benefited from the alleged criminal activities would be prosecuted.
Odumosu expressed gratitude to the Vigilante Group in Kwali, the FCT Minister, the Commandant-General of the NSCDC and the Chairman of Kwali Area Council for their support, and called on residents along pipeline corridors to provide credible information to assist in apprehending vandals.
