Members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrested 15 suspected vandals in a routine night operation within the Federal Capital Territory.
The Commander of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), FCT Commander Olusola Odumos, disclosed on Wednesday, November 8, that the Corps has intensified its night operations to combat crime and criminal activities in the FCT.
He said that the suspects arrested were vandals, scavengers, and undesirables who targeted critical infrastructure in the FCT.
Odumos paraded the suspects at the FCT headquarters in Abuja, where he revealed that the suspects committed various forms of crimes, including vandalism of public property, theft, bag and phone snatching, and assaulting innocent citizens in the name of scrap metal collection, and were caught late at night at various locations in the FCT.
Items recovered from the suspects included a burglar’s iron, one Lexus ES330 vehicle for transporting stolen goods, destroyed transmission cables, climbing belt, hammer, screwdriver, three measuring tapes, four wrenches, compass, helmet, three reflective jackets, bow saw, women’s earrings, a bag, one cart, and one pumping machine.
Odumos said that the arrested suspects will be prosecuted according to the law, depending on the charges against them, in order to hold them accountable for their actions and serve as a deterrent to other suspects.
During the interrogation, one of the suspects, who was destroying telecommunication cables in the Wuse Zone 4 area of the province, revealed that he was an engineer who was performing maintenance work for a registered engineering firm.
However, he could not provide sufficient answers, documents, or permits to confirm his claim of undertaking this work. His two other accomplices remain at large, but efforts are ongoing to apprehend the suspect at large.
Commanders frown upon such actions, which have severely degraded important property and utilities, thereby posing a potential danger to public safety.
Not only is vandalism a crime, it interferes with the effective functioning of critical infrastructure.” Critical infrastructure is vital to the survival of our country, and any violation of it poses a significant risk to our security, public safety, and other essential services,” Odomos said.
Odumos explained, “The Corps’ efforts are also aimed at ensuring that waste collection activities are banned in urban areas where critical national assets and infrastructure are located.
‘We will vigorously enforce this ban in order to protect the public infrastructure of the FCT.
These criminals and their partners specialize in vandalism, theft, and the illegal sale of destroyed public infrastructure. We intend to take stronger measures to wipe out this threat in the FCT.”
Odumos warned that the NSCDC will not tolerate criminal activities that jeopardize government efforts to provide security and social amenities in the FCT.
He further warned those with criminal intent not to relocate from Abuja or engage in illegal and unproductive businesses.
The commander thanked the public for their support and cooperation, but urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities in the vicinity of critical facilities to the said security force for appropriate action.
He added that protecting residents and critical infrastructure is of utmost importance to the Marines.
