kufre George
The floating corpse of a suspected oil thief has been recovered on the creeks of Qua Iboe River in Eket local government area of Akwa Ibom state.Report says marine police operatives, following a tip-off by natives of Ikot Ebidang in Onna local government area, raided some coastal areas almost a week ago which made many of the suspects dived into the river to escape arrest.A community leader and stakeholder, Doctor Ufot Phenson, over the weekend said one of the vandals who dived into the river drowned and the corpse was recovered after three days on the Creek of Qua Iboe River, in the adjoining oil community of Eket Local Government Area.Phenson said one of criminals was arrested with items such as Flying boat, life jacket, oxygen cylinder, iron cutter, hacksaw, generator, motorcycle and helmet, with which they used in destroying the pipelines.The matter has been reported at the Divisional Police station at Abat, headquarters of Onna. A community leader in Ikot Ebidang community in Onna Local Government Area, Rev Rex Akpan Uko, called on the police at the zone to ensure that the matter is discreetly investigated and those behind pipeline vandalism in the area brought to book, while urging the youth vigilantes to ensure that oil pipelines are secured.
