Army Detains Soldiers Over Cable Theft At Dangote Refinery

The Nigerian Army has detained two soldiers allegedly involved in the theft of armoured cables at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos. These soldiers, who were apprehended at the company’s main gate with 897 cut-to-size armoured cables, are currently in custody as investigations into the incident have commenced.

According to reports, the soldiers entered the Dangote Refinery premises on Sunday in an Acura jeep, but their suspicious activities were intercepted by vigilant troops and private security operatives stationed at the refinery.

In a statement issued by the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Army condemned the incident, labelling it as “totally unacceptable and highly regrettable.” He affirmed that the soldiers implicated in the theft are now under custody pending further inquiries.

“The Nigerian Army is deeply concerned about the alleged involvement of two of its personnel in a reported case of theft at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos,” Maj. Gen. Nwachukwu said. He added that “This act of criminality… is totally unacceptable and does not represent the ethics and values of the NA.”

Preliminary investigations revealed that the soldiers were allegedly hired by a contractor identified as Smart. It was reported that Smart had informed the soldiers of the need to retrieve some cables left behind at the facility. However, upon their arrival, Smart reportedly sensed trouble and abruptly left the scene, leaving the soldiers to face the consequences alone.