By Perez Brisibe

UGHELLI—SPECIAL  Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Youth and Community Development (Delta Central), Mr. Monday Owhesiri, has described his detention at the 222 Battalion headquarters, Agbarha-Otor over Thursday’s morning pipeline explosion at Ighwrenene community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state as unfortunate and a frame-up by oil vandals in the area.

Owhesiri in a chat with Vanguard, said that owing to his fight and zero tolerance for vandalism of oil pipelines and facilities belonging to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN in Ughelli and environs, he was framed-up by vandals and arrested in a bid to pave way for their operations in the area.

Speaking on circumstances that led to his arrest, he said: “I was in my apartment on Thursday morning when some military officers and youths came to me that my attention was needed at the 222 Battalion headquarters.

“Immediately I arrived, I was handcuffed, chained and locked up in the guard room like a common criminal without being interrogated till the next morning (Friday) when the Commanding Officer of the battalion, Lt. Col. Mathew Oyekola told me that the two suspects earlier arrested in connection with the explosion, had exonerated me of any link with the incident.”

Meanwhile, the Joint Task Force, JTF, Operation Pulo Shield, has paraded two suspects allegedly involved in the explosion.

Briefing newsmen at the 222 Battalion headquarters, Agbarha-Otor, JTF spokesman, Lt. Col. Isa Ado, gave the names of the suspects as Dennis Oneya and Emmanuel Joseph of Uduere and Afiesere communities respectively.