Olusegun Adeyemo
Six suspects have been arrested for allegedly stealing a 30-kilometre stretch of pipeline from the Warri-Kaduna crude oil line in Ekperi, Edo State.
The Chairman of the Edo State Task Force on Recovery of Government Property, Mr. Eugene Okolosie, disclosed this on Wednesday in Benin City while outlining recent achievements by the task force.
According to Okolosie, the suspects used excavators to dig out the pipes, which are part of the infrastructure designed to transport crude oil from Warri to the Kaduna refinery. He revealed that some of the stolen pipes have already been recovered, and investigations suggest the suspects may have conspired with members of the local community to carry out the theft.
In addition to the pipeline incident, the task force also apprehended five suspects in Uhuoghun, Orhionmwon Local Government Area, for vandalizing government-owned agricultural tractors and other heavy equipment, which they intended to sell.
Furthermore, five other individuals were arrested in Okpella for stealing high-tension electricity equipment.
Okolosie raised concerns over the increasing rate of land encroachment and illegal sales of government property across Edo State. He noted that the task force had recovered about 480 hectares of government land that had been unlawfully sold by community members.
“In Sobe, the people sold melina and teak trees planted by the government in a reserved forest area. They cleared the forest and began cultivating plantains. This illegal activity has been going on for the past eight years,” he said.
He highlighted the situation in Ewomama Community, where civic infrastructure—including a civic centre, generator, market, and secondary school land—had been illegally sold. However, the government has since reclaimed these properties.
Okolosie expressed particular concern about illegal encroachment on school lands, citing Uromi as an example, where a private school was reportedly built within the premises of a public school.
“The task force has made significant progress in reclaiming lands belonging to schools across the state. Anyone attacking educational infrastructure is attacking the future of their community,” he said.
He thanked the state government for its support in enabling the task force to carry out its duties and cautioned the public against impersonators posing as task force members to extort money.