Police arrest four suspects over Lagos pipeline explosion

The Lagos police command says it has arrested four suspected vandals who were involved in the pipeline explosion at Abule-Egba, a community in the state.

On December 19, an inferno from the explosion consumed properties and vehicles worth millions.

In a statement on Thursday, Chike Oti, the command’s police public relations officer, gave an account of the fire outbreak.

Oti said the ringleader, Adedipo Ewenla, was invited by the command through his last known address but he fled to Ogun state in order to evade arrest.

“The Lagos State Police Command has recorded a breakthrough in the investigation into the fire incident that occurred on Wednesday, December 19, 2018, around 2 am at the Abule-Egba and Agege areas of Lagos in which at least, 100 houses, 100 shops and 50 cars went up in flames, with the arrest of four suspected pipeline vandals,” he said.

“During interrogation, the four suspects gave vivid account of how the fire that emanated from a vandalised petroleum pipe engulfed a fraction of Abule-Egba community and spread to parts of Agege area, destroying properties worth millions of naira.

“They also mentioned one Adedipo Ewenla as their ring leader.”

The police spokesman said Ewenla has been declared wanted.