Navy, Top line Security in near bloody clash over impounded petroleum products

File Photo: Jerry cans of recovered from oil thieving suspects arrested in Lagos

A bloody gun battle was on Tuesday averted between naval personnel from Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT and Top line Security guards over the custody of over 3000 jerry cans of petrol seized from vandals.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) gathered that Topline Security, which was contracted in 2014 to protect NNPC pipelines from Atlas Cove to Ilorin depot, recovered the products from vandals but refused to hand them over to the navy.

NAN learnt that the over 3000 jerricans filed with petroleum products were recovered from suspected vandals at Idi-Mongoro area of Atlas cove, Lagos.

Speaking on the faceoff, the Commander NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Okon Eyo, said that the Navy would meet with the NNPC to review the terms of engagement it had with Topline Security.

Eyo said that the navy was also going to ascertain if the private security guards were allowed to carry arms.

“You all saw what happened at Ibeshe, a riverine community that play host to an important NNPC facility.

“Personnel of Topline security claimed they were awarded the contract of protecting the pipeline that runs from Atlas cove through satellite town to Ejigbo, Mosemi and to Ilorin and other parts of the country.

“You also witnessed to the shameless atitude which their personnel put up. They were apparently trying to provoke the Navy into taking actions.

“But ours is not to endanger the lives of people.

“We also saw that they are carrying guns; we will also ascertain if they are allowed to carry arms,” he said

The naval chief said that the navy had conducted an aerial operation during which they sighted over 3000 jerricans loaded in vehicles.

He said that following the aerial view, the navy decided to move in to ascertain the activities which resulted in the faceoff.

In a swift reaction, a Top line Security official at the scene, Tiamiyu Jeremiah, accused the navy of aiding the vandals.

He said that Top line Security guards recovered the products from suspected vandals who siphoned them from NNPC pipelines that runs from Atlas cove, Apapa to Ejigbo and Mosemi depots in Lagos.

Jeremiah said that as at the time the products were recovered on Sunday, they were being conveyed in five vehicles to an unknown destination.