The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), FCT Command, has arrested three suspected members of a criminal syndicate involved in the vandalism and attempted removal of NNPC petroleum pipelines in Dafa, Kwali Area Council of Abuja.
The FCT Commandant, Dr Olusola Odumosu, disclosed this on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at a press briefing at the NSCDC Kwali Divisional Office.
Odumosu said the suspects were arrested following intelligence received from members of a vigilante group collaborating with the Corps, which led to prolonged surveillance of the pipeline Right of Way in the area.
According to him, the suspects initially fled after sighting security operatives, abandoning severed pipeline components at the scene. However, on September 20, they returned and attempted to load the vandalised pipes into a truck, leading to the arrest of three of them.
The suspects were identified as Maitama Inuwa, 30, allegedly the truck driver; Yahuza Danlami, 32, described as the motor boy; and Yasir Abdulrahman, 26, allegedly representing dealers of the vandalised pipes.
Odumosu said four other persons allegedly linked to the operation had been identified and remained at large.
Items recovered included a commercial truck with registration number MAK 159 XA (Niger) and 17 pieces of vandalised NNPC petroleum pipes.
He said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects operated mainly at night in remote and forested areas where pipelines pass through the FCT, cutting the high-pressure pipelines into smaller pieces for transportation.
The Commandant warned that pipeline vandalism not only causes economic losses but also creates serious risks of explosions and environmental degradation.
He said the suspects had undergone preliminary investigation and profiling and were granted administrative bail after meeting stipulated conditions, while the Command’s Legal Unit would review the case for appropriate legal action.
Odumosu said the NSCDC was expanding its investigation to identify alleged sponsors, end-buyers and other members of the suspected criminal network.
He appealed to residents and communities along pipeline corridors to provide credible information on suspicious activities, stressing that protecting critical national infrastructure required strong community collaboration.
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