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| The pipeline Area |
Suspected vandals on Thursday abducted two photojournalists
who were at the scene of a pipeline explosion in Arepo, in the
Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State,
smashing their cameras and brutalising them.
This happened just as the vandals were observed in the area
in speedboats searching for their missing cohorts.
PUNCH Metro had reported on Thurday that at least five
suspected vandals died in an explosion at the Nigerian
National Petroluem Corporation’s pipeline in the Arepo area of
Ogun State.
It was reported that the fire, which started around 1am,
consumed the vandals and left several others with burns.
The National Emergency Management Authority spokesperson,
Ibrahim Farinloye, and the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP
Emmanuel Ojukwu, had said the number of casualties and the
injured could not be ascertained as rescue operations were
ongoing.
On Thursday, our correspondent learnt that two
photojournalists, who were reportedly working for The Sun and
The Nation newspapers, were abducted and harassed by the
vandals, before being released in the afternoon.
While one of the photojournalists was identified only as
Solomon, the name of his colleague had yet to be ascertained.
They were said to have been beaten up by the vandals, while
their cameras were also smashed.
A source told our correspondent that the two men were taken
to the creeks, but were released in the afternoon with injuries.
She added that Solomon was being treated in a hospital.
She said, “He was beaten up at the scene of the explosion by
the vandals. They did not let him take away the photographs
he had taken. They beat him up and he is in the hospital. He
could not come to the office.”
When our correspondent got to the area at about 12pm on
Thursday, some of the suspected vandals were seen looking
for other missing vandals.
A source working in the area said about 20 injured persons
were being treated in a camp in the creeks.
“The vandals are still searching for people at the scene. They
are angry at the loss. About 20 people, who were injured,
have been taken to a camp in the creeks where they are being
treated,” he added.