The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), FCT command, has arrested nine suspected vandals and buyers of stolen national infrastructure. The FCT NSCDC Commandant, Olusola Odumosu, during a press briefing held at the command’s headquarters on Wednesday, said four suspects are vandals while the other five buy stolen assets. ..ALSO READ FULL FROM SOURCE ↔️
According to the NSCDC report, a total number of 123 vandals have been arrested this year, 86 charged to court, 29 convicted, and 57 are being investigated.
Odumosu noted that the Command, which has been maintaining 24-hour surveillance over key government sites and projects, made the arrests during its routine patrols, as part of measures taken by the NSCDC to safeguard public infrastructure from criminal elements.
One of the suspects, Abdulahi Sani, a 24-year-old from Borno State, was caught in the early hours of October 22, 2024, while dismantling streetlight armored cables near the Yoruba Mosque in Utako.
Odumosu said the patrol team on duty noticed the suspicious activity, which led to Sani’s arrest.
“Further investigations led to the arrest five (5) of the receivers and buyers of the vandalized critical national assets and infrastructure at the Pantaker market, Jabi, Abuja,” adding that “Pliers and Street-light armored cables,” were the exhibits recovered
In a separate incident, 32-year-old Ishaku Toma from Adamawa State was arrested while vandalising bridge pavements along the Kado/Galadimawa Road in the Idu Industrial area, using large rocks to break concrete, while attempting to steal the iron rods embedded in the bridge.
NSCDC personnel during his arrest recovered “Concrete reinforcement iron rods.”
Another suspect, Abubakar Habibu, aged 22, was arrested on Tuesday, October 22 around 3:40 am near Mabushi Bridge, where he was vigorously digging up armored streetlight cables. He was arrested with tools and other stolen materials, and exhibit recovered from him are Solar panel cables, digger and shovels and Street headlight.
The fourth suspect, Daniel Peter, aged 24, was arrested while vandalizing armored cables at the Public Service Institute along the Kubwa Express Road. According to Odumosu, he had already cut significant portions of the cables before being apprehended. Exhibits recovered from him are “Street-light armored cables and Pliers.”
Also, the NSCDC operatives during patrol on October 15, 2024 at about 01:30hrs intercepted vandals attempting to steal telecommunication masts and other equipment at the package B area of the Moshood AbiolaStadium. .
However, the vandals fled, but officers recovered the already dismantled items which includes, “two (2) Base Transceiver Station (BTS) cabinets and Seven (7) other Base Transceiver Station (BTS) cabinets, among others were recovered from the bushy environment during a thorough search/combing of the entire vicinity,” and also recovered exhibits like “Nine (9) BTS cabinets, and Iron grid from the stadium fence.”
Similarly, the commandant said, following investigation into the criminal activities, men of the NSCDC command arrested five individuals suspected of purchasing the stolen materials. The buyers are believed to be the ones fueling the vandalism through their illegal purchases.
The suspected buyers that were arrested are, “Auwal Ibrahim, 35, Kano State, Abubakar Ashamu, 25, Kano State, Yusuf Isah, 34, Kaduna State, Salisu Umar, 30, Kano State and Odinaka Chukwu, 51, Imo State.
Exhibits recovered from the buyers are,—Four (4) melted bags of armoured cables/wires, Eleven (11) bags of condemned irons, One (1) 75amps battery, Scaffolding clips and bolts, Copper wires, Solar panel cables, and Copper wires from burnt armoured cables.
Speaking further during the briefing, Odumosu said that vandalism not only disrupts essential services but also poses significant dangers to the community and creates an additional financial burden on the government, which must replace the stolen materials.
He warned that the vandalism of public properties and criminal activities will no longer be tolerated within its jurisdiction. He also stated the command’s commitment to maintaining peace and security on the nation’s capital.
Odumosu urged FCT residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities. He noted that investigations are ongoing to uncover the kingpins behind the criminal networks.
“Further investigations are ongoing to unravel the kingpins behind the activities of these vandals and their buyers, and at the end, those found culpable will be arrested, charged and prosecuted accordingly.
“It is important to state that vandalism of public infrastructure is not a victimless crime. The damage to public infrastructure affects every resident of the FCT. It disrupts the provision of essential services, endangers lives, and places an additional burden on the government’sefforts and resources to replace the stolen assets.
“The parade of these suspects today and the huge amount of exhibits recovered from them is a testament to the effectiveness of the proactivestrategy and intensified patrol by the NSCDC FCT Command, to detervandals and other criminals, as well as to ensure the apprehension of those responsible for such illegalities in the FCT.
“The Command is therefore sending a stern and unequivocal warning message to vandals, scavengers otherwise known as Baba-Bola, and other criminals that, vandalism of public properties and criminality will no longer be tolerated within our jurisdiction.
“The Command remains resolute in its avowed commitment to sanitise and rid the fct of vandals. We will continue to work tirelessly to protect public infrastructure and maintain peace and security within the territory. “We urge all residents to remain alert, vigilant and report any suspicious activities of vandals to the authorities. Together, we can prevent further damage and ensure that the FCT remains a safe and secure environment for all,” the commandant said.. ..ALSO READ FULL FROM SOURCE ↔️
