‘I vandalised oil wellheads to protest unemployment’

Suspected pipeline vandals being paraded by
the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps
and vandalised well heads on display in
Bayelsa State ...on Monday.
| credits: Simon Utebor
A 43-year-old, suspected gang leader, Derateide
Burutu, arrested for dismantling three wellheads,
has blamed his action on the high rate of
unemployment in the country.
Burutu, who identified himself as the kingpin of the
four-man gang caused a stir on Monday when he
and three other accomplices were paraded by the
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Bayelsa
Command. The names of his accomplices were
given as Tam Emiakpo, Epumokumo Timidise and
Jeremiah Isong.
The unrepentant suspect said he removed the
wellheads to protest against the inability of the
government to create jobs.
Burutu, who said he did not go to school, further
created a scene when he was asked what he
intended to do with the wellheads.
He said, “I want to use them for my own personal
oil drilling. I was taking them to my destination
when the security men arrested me.”
The suspect insisted that there was nothing wrong
with what he did and challenged the government to
prosecute him.
Burutu, who claimed that it was the first time he
had vandalised oil installations, begged the state
commandant to grant his three other accomplices
freedom and hold only him culpable.
He said, “What I did is right in my sight. If it is
against the Federal Government, then judge me.
“If I may plead, leave these young men and then
face me. I have not been doing this before. This is
my first time.”
Burutu, who hails from Sagbama area of the state,
also criticised politicians for using and dumping the
youths.
“Politicians only remember us during elections and
forget us after assuming offices,” he said.
On his part, another member of the gang, Timidise,
said he joined the gang to raise money for his
school fees.
Claiming to be a student of Agriculture and
Environmental Administration at the state-owned
Niger Delta University, he said he did not know the
gang was involved in pipeline vandalism.
He confessed, “I thought the gang was only
involved in illegal refining of oil.”
Timidise added that security operatives arrested
the gang while on their way back from their illicit
activities.
Parading the suspects, the state Commandant,
NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, said they were arrested
on Monday at 3.30 am by the anti-vandal unit of
his command.
He said they were apprehended at Korokorosei and
Ondewari communities, Southern Ijaw Local
Government Area of the state.
The commandant added that the suspects were
arrested following a tip-off from a good citizen.
He said the command had hitherto arrested many
people involved in pipeline vandalism, adding that
eight persons were undergoing prosecution.
Agu said, “Let me sound it as a note of warning that
this sabotage must stop.
“These pipelines when cut spew oil into the
environment and destroy farmlands, pollute water
and sometimes lead to fire outbreak that can
destroy the entire community.”