Two Benin Republic nationals and
three others have been arrested by operatives of Beecroft of the Nigerian Navy over alleged vandalism in Lagos.
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They were alleged to have vandalised pipeline in Makoko area of the state.
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Recovered from the suspects were 270 jerricans filled with siphoned petroleum products.
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The Benin Republic nationals, however, told Vanguard that they were fishermen, who fished in Nigeria's waters in company of some Nigerians.
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Parading the suspects before newsmen, yesterday, the Base Operations Officer, Commander Tanko Lengaya, explained that the suspects were arrested in the early hours of Saturday following a tip off.
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He said: "Patrol boats were immediately deployed from Atlas Cove in the process of which the suspects were intercepted at Makoko area in two canoes loaded with 270 50-litre jerricans filled with the siphoned products and 49 empty jerricans."
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Preliminary investigation, according to him, revealed that the suspects were working with vandals who, after siphoning the product, would hand them over to the arrested suspects for onward sales to ready buyers.
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He said the suspects and the exhibits would be handed over either to the police or officials of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.