Troops of 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, have intercepted criminal elements siphoning diesel from heavy-duty equipment belonging to Sterling Petroleum and Fertilizer Limited at Ukpe Ete in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Disclosing this on Saturday, 2 Brigade’s spokesperson, Captain Lawal Bala Muhammad, said troops acted on credible intelligence.
According to him, follow-up operations led to the arrest of a driver conveying the stolen products. However, while troops attempted to return the suspect and exhibits to the company for further action, some youths barricaded the road in a bid to free the suspect, attacking troops with bottles and stones.
Despite efforts to de-escalate the situation, the youths became increasingly violent. Troops fired warning shots to disperse the crowd, but when this failed, the ringleader was identified and shot in the leg before being evacuated to a hospital for treatment.
The unrest escalated further as the youths vandalised private vehicles, harassed commuters, and attacked company trucks. Reinforcements were subsequently deployed, and troops regained control of the area.
During follow-up operations, an unidentified corpse was discovered with a coffin. The remains were evacuated to the mortuary by the Nigeria Police Force, supported by the troops.
“The Brigade wishes to appreciate the support and understanding of the general public and reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding the lives and property of law-abiding citizens and the good people of Akwa Ibom State”, Muhammad stated, even as he further enjoined the public to provide actionable intelligence to security agencies, as investigations are ongoing.
