TheCable

The Nigerian Navy says it has arrested a suspected member of the Niger Delta Avengers who supplies explosives that the group uses to attack facilities.

Christian Ezekobe, naval director of information, disclosed this in a statement made available to reporters in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to Ezekobe, the suspect was picked up on July 11.

He is believed to be a major logistics supplier to the group, which had claimed responsibility for attacks on NNPC and Chevron pipelines in the Niger Delta.

“The arrest was made following a confessional statement obtained from an earlier-arrested suspect who gave details of the involvement of other collaborators in the attacks,” the statement said.

“Preliminary investigations also revealed that the suspect recently supplied 10 batteries, five large coils of wire and other materials purportedly used for the attacks.”

The navy said it would continue to partner with sister security agencies and members of the public to eliminate all forms of economic sabotage such as vandalisation of pipelines and piracy.