Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have foiled an attempt by some unknown persons to blow up a pipeline belonging to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Natural (NLNG) Limited in Rumuche, Emohua LGA.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Omoni Nnamdi, said in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday that the improvised explosive device that was to be used to carry out the dastardly act was recovered by the Explosive Ordinance Department of the Command.
Nnamdi explained that the device was fabricated with a large mass of dynamite and other accessories.
He disclosed that plan to blow up the NLNG pipeline was to be carried out on July 7, 2016.
According to the state police spokesman, the men of the Explosive Ordinance Department were able to recover the dangerous device through a tip-off.
“On the 7th day of July, 2016, about 0600hrs the Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) team acting on a tip-off proceeded to Rumuche, Emohua and recovered Improvised Explosive Device (IED) placed to blow off the NLNG pipeline.
“The IED was said to have been fabricated with a large Mass of Dynamite and other accessories. Meanwhile the IED has been rendered safe and has been evacuated.
“The Command once again wishes to assure and reassure the good people of Rivers State that it is more than ever before prepared to chase criminals out of the state.
“The Command pleads for understanding and cooperation of all and sundry in terms of information sharing,” Nnamdi added.
In a separate development, an attempt to bomb an oil well head in Gelegele community in Ovia North East local government area of Edo State was foiled by police yesterday.
Two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted near the oil well head were detonated by police.
The oil well is operated by Dubri Oil Company Limited and produces 200 barrels of oil per day.
The state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, who disclosed this at a press briefing, said the command received a distressed call on Sunday that objects suspected to be IEDs were planted at the oil well head.
Ezike said a team of Explosives Ordinance Detectives backed by Tactical Operatives rushed to the scene and found two objects suspected to be IEDS, placed inside two sack bags containing a mixture of Ammononium Nitrate and Fuel.
He said a closer look at the objects showed that they have not been detonated and contained a strand of cortex, dylatine, power source and firing cable.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.