I Need Money to Save My Wife's Life --Arrested Man Cries Out

“As I speak with you, my wife is dying in the hospital back in Ondo state. She needs money for treatment. You see, I ventured into this all in a bid to save my wife. I am an orphan. I have been struggling to make ends meet without making any headway. I have five children but lost one recently because of lack of fund to provide medicare. 

"And now, my wife is on danger list. If she dies, tell me, who will take care of the children? She was initially taken to the hospital but because there was no money to pay for the drugs.

"We had to bring her home to administer local herbs on her," said 20yrs old Owoye Ebiwe who was among 10 pipeline vandals paraded on Monday by operatives of the Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline vandalism Unit. 

Owoye Ebiwe from Ondo state and other suspects  were arrested at the verge of siphoning petroleum from a pipeline belonging to the NNPC located in Elekete area of Ogun State.

While other suspects freely opened up confessing their alleged involvement in the crime, Ebiwe was unusually calm. While that lasted, he bent down, scribbling what did not make sense on the wet ground.

When approached, he raised his head and behold, he was shedding tears. Asked why he was crying, he lamented the woes he claimed had befallen him and eventually led him into the unpalatable situation he found himself.

Owoye Ebiwe's story: 

“In trying to suggest a possible solution, one of my relatives, asked me to come down to Lagos; that there was a business that would fetch me money to take care of my wife and family. Without asking what type of business, I borrowed some money and left Ondo on Sunday, for Lagos. When I met him, he just said I should follow him to the place and like an obedient servant, I did, until I found myself in the creeks. 

"That was when he informed me that some people would soon come with boats and jerrycans; that all I needed to do was to wait by the shore and bring the jerrycans out of the boats. The place was like a market place because I saw other people waiting for their members too.

“That was when it dawned on me that it was vandal business. Honestly, I did not know it was a big offense. All I was told was that I would be given a reasonable amount at the end of the day. That my relative told me he had money to buy the products; that all I needed to do was to bring the jerrycans out of the canoes and also help to sell to ready buyers at the end of which payment would be determined on the quantity sold.

"I was there with him and Luke, waiting for the arrival of the boats when we were rounded up by the police. You can now see why I have been crying,” he stated.

Unfortunately, OluFamous.Com gathered that the Unit Commander, Friday Ibadin insisted Owoye Ebiwe will be charged to court, no matter the financial predicament that pushed him to join the criminals.