The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Command, Olusola Odumosu, has paraded four suspected electrical installation cable vandals at the Command Headquarters, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
The parade follows the arrest of four suspected vandals who specialise in vandalising electrical installations and armoured cables across the Federal Capital Territory.
The suspects were arrested in three separate locations involving alleged vandalism, possession and trafficking of electrical cables in Abaji, Kubwa and the Wuye axis of Abuja.
The FCT Commandant disclosed that the NSCDC FCT Command Anti-Vandal patrol team, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended a suspect around Residential Quarters, Abaji Area Council. The suspect is identified as Mammed Nuhu, male, 44 years, from Basari Local Government Area, Katsina State, in connection with vandalism, alleged unlawful possession and storage of high-tension aluminium conductor cables suspected to have been vandalised from critical national assets and infrastructure in Abaji Area Council.
The suspect, from preliminary investigation, disclosed that two other individuals simply identified as Saifullah, 33 years, and Abdulraham, 25 years, brought the cables to him for safekeeping pending the sale to prospective buyers. Both individuals are currently at large, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend them and identify other persons connected to the alleged criminal activity.
Exhibits recovered were bundles of high-tension aluminium conductor cables, suspected to have been vandalised from Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, installations in Abaji.
In a related development, operatives of the NSCDC, Kubwa Base station, arrested two suspects, identified as Amos Makama, male, 27 years, from Kokona LGA, Nasarawa State, and Ibrahim Mohammed Maitama Inuwa, male, 27 years, from Dala LGA of Kano State, in connection with alleged vandalism and unlawful possession of electrical cables around Government Secondary School, Kubwa.
The arrest was made at about 1:00 a.m. following reports of suspicious movement around the school perimeter fence by commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators who operate in the area.
The prime suspect, Amos Makama, during interrogation confessed that he got access to the school in the evening through the gate and cut the wires in the school building, and that he operated in the premises till 12:00 a.m. and when he climbed the fence with the exhibit in an attempt to escape with the intent of selling the items, he was arrested by officers of the FCT Command.
He further revealed that he had already contacted Ibrahim Mohammed, the alleged buyer, who had made an advance payment of thirty-five thousand naira, N35,000. Both suspects have confessed to the crime and that they have been in the business since 2024.
In the third case, the FCT Commandant said it is a case of alleged criminal conspiracy, vandalism and theft of armoured cables.
According to the FCT helmsman, the Command Critical National Assets and Infrastructure department officers on routine patrol were alerted by members of the local vigilante group of suspicious activities of some individuals at about 10:30 p.m.
One Suleiman Jafaru, the prime suspect, was apprehended near Berger Roundabout along the Wuye axis of Abuja, in connection with alleged excavation and theft of armoured cable.
The exhibits recovered from the suspect were armoured cables and two diggers.
Investigation revealed that three persons were allegedly involved in the suspected vandalism and removal of armoured cables around the Berger area of Abuja. He said he was acting alongside two other individuals who reportedly escaped during the operation.
The suspect’s statement indicates that he was removing armoured cable from the roadside near Berger at the time of his arrest.
The identities and whereabouts of the two other alleged accomplices remain to be established.
The NSCDC Commandant, who frowned at the vandalism, stated that the attack is on the welfare, safety and economic well-being of the FCT residents.
“The cost of replacing stolen cables and repairing damaged installations also diverts resources that could otherwise be invested in improving electricity services; the alleged involvement of receivers and buyers in these cases also highlight a critical dimension of this crime,” Odumosu stated.
He reiterated that the NSCDC FCT Command will pursue not only those who physically remove these materials but also those who knowingly create a market for stolen electricity materials, thereby encouraging further vandalism.
He maintained that the NSCDC remains committed to sustaining intelligence-led operations, strengthening collaboration with relevant stakeholders and ensuring that all persons found wanting are brought to justice through due process.
He urged residents and community leaders, commercial motorcycle, tricycle operators, traders and scrap-metal dealers, as well as relevant stakeholders to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities around electricity installations to the appropriate authorities.
