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Operatives of the Nigerian Army have apprehended no fewer than three men for allegedly vandalizing vital equipment at a palm oil plantation located in Okon Aku, Ohafia in Abia State.
Their arrest was made possible through a tip-off from some local hunters who noticed the activities of the vandals and reported to security agencies.
The Eastern Region Estate Investment (EREI) was a palm oil plantation established in 1961 by Dr. Michael Okpara, the late Premier of the Eastern former region.
The plantation, which has since gone obsolete, has consistently come under a series of attacks by vandals.
However, on Wednesday, luck ran out for the three suspected vandals after they allegedly vandalized an equipment known as the oil processing mill located in the plantation.
Read Also: Army, Navy Kill Five Suspected ESN Fighters In Imo
They had stormed the premises with a van to cart away their looted items, but it was in the process of escaping from the vandalized facility that they were nabbed by soldiers who were on routine patrol.
The Abia State government had previously issued a letter warning vandals to stay off the property as plans were ongoing to rehabilitate it and make it functional again.
The Eastern Updates gathered that the suspects have been handed over to Zone 9 Police Abia State, and they are currently in detention while investigations have commenced.
In another report, a joint team of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy have reportedly killed no fewer than five suspected fighters of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) during a gun battle that occurred at Ejemekuru in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
The encounter with IPOB’s fighters is coming a few days after a fierce gun duel between the troops and IPOB fighters occurred in the Orsu LG of the state.
The troops killed an IPOB fighter in the operation and recovered three Improvised Explosive Devices, one Toyota Highlander SUV, one Hilux vehicle, eight rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, among others from their hideouts.
