Cynthia Ezegwu
The Adamawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has intercepted another truck allegedly loaded with pipes belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC Limited).
The state Commandant of the NSCDC, Idris Bande, disclosed this on Monday in Yola while briefing journalists after parading the suspects.
Bande said the arrest followed intelligence from residents who sighted the truck transporting the pipes through their community.
“The villagers where the pipes were loaded took a picture of the truck and its plate number and sent it to the command for action. I quickly deployed my officers along the Jalingo–Yola road, and the truck was intercepted,” he said.
According to Bande, the driver attempted to disable the vehicle to prevent its movement after being flagged down by officers.
“We contacted the owner of the truck, and he promised to come, but he did not. After six days of waiting with my officers guarding the truck, we decided to tow it to our headquarters here in Yola,” he added.
He revealed that the vehicle contained more than 200 pipes suspected to have been stolen from the NNPC, noting that a similar arrest involving over 300 pipes was made three weeks earlier.
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The commandant said the Adamawa NNPC depot manager had confirmed that the seized pipes belong to the corporation. He added that investigations had been concluded and the suspects would soon be charged in court.
Bande warned those involved in vandalising or stealing government property to desist or risk severe legal consequences.
The truck driver, identified as Adamu Ahmed, told journalists that both soldiers and NSCDC personnel escorted him to the village where the pipes were loaded, adding that he was heading to Gombe to sell the materials.
It would be recalled that on September 30, 2025, the NSCDC arrested five suspects linked to the theft of 204 units of iron pipes belonging to the NNPC. The suspects had allegedly concealed the pipes with chaff and presented them as farm produce before being intercepted along the Jalingo–Numan road.