A well rehearsed robbery operation on Monday 7th September, 2020 was foiled at the Aniocha North Local Government Council Secretariat, Issele-Uku, Delta State, by gallant officers of the Nigeria Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, attached to the Council
The operation, aimed at stealing a heavy duty borehole drilling machine, was masterminded by a Senior Staff (names withheld) in the Works Department of the Local Government Council.
Very reliable sources hinted that the Council Staff in question had before the operation, submitted a gate pass to the NSCDC Officer’s Post, claiming that he had approval of the Council to remove the Borehole Drilling Machine from the Council’s premises.
However, suspecting the genuineness of the gate pass, the intelligent NSCDC officers swiftly went into a discrete investigation, which proved the gate pass to be a forged document which prompted the officer moved to the site where the drilling machine has already been dismembered and neatly parked, for further investigation.
But, as they approached the site, the thieves engaged them in a serious fight, using every dangerous weapon within their reach. Overpowered by the gallant officers, the same Council Staff (names withheld), a Hyab Operator, a Truck Driver and seven others, all took to their heels, but not without snatching a handset belonging to one of the NSCDC officers, even as they equally abandoned their trucks and other operational equipment, including three industrial gas cylinders, with which the parts of the drilling machine were dismembered and loaded into one of the trucks.
Meanwhile, the NSCDC officers deflated the tyres of the trucks, while a team of Police Officers from the Nigeria Police Force, Issele-Uku Division had visited the scene of the foiled robbery.
The alleged rubbery incident was confirmed by the NSCDC Coordinator in Aniocha North, Mr Uche Samuel Njokwu who stated that he led men of the NSCDC in Aniocha North to frustrate the rubbery.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Delta State Command, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeye could not immediately confirm the attempted robbery, she however promised to establish contact with the Issele-Uku Divisional Police Officer, DPO, for details.
It is expected that proper investigation into the planned stealing of the property said to belong to a contractor who initially worked on the Local Government Council’s Comprehensive water Scheme, would be carried out soonest by both the authorities of Aniocha North Local Government and that of the Nigeria Police, with a view to forestalling future occurrence.
