Kehinde Fajobi
Fifty individuals have been arrested by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command for allegedly stealing public infrastructure such as streetlights and manhole covers.
The arrests were made during separate raids in collaboration with other security agencies at known hotspots in Kabusa, Garki, Mabushi, and Wuse.
Among the suspects are Bashir Usman, Shaibu Ibrahim, Sani Isah, Ibrahim Hassan, Mustapha Hassan, Awal Nawan, Umar Aliyu, Auta Umar, Simon Clement, Datti Ibrahim, Mohammed Salim, Ibrahim Ibrahim, Ifeanyi-Chuckwu Emmanuel, Abba Ismail, Najib Abdul, Muhammed Lawal, Rabiu Ibrahim, Adamu Suleiman, Abdulkarim Abdullahi, Haruna Nasiru, Abdul Nai’ja, Josua Steven, Livinus Steven, Ismail Abdullahi, Munir Sada, Ibrahim Yahaya, Yahaya Musa.
Others are Dahiru Nasiru, Abdullahi Muhammed, Monday Barnabas, Hamisu Iman, Promise Abanonum, Ehieze Emeka, Ehieze Justice, Mohammed Inusa, Tijanni Suleiman, Promise James, Haruna Auwalu, Ayuba Danjuma, Suleiman Abu, Nafiu Ahmmed, Kamalu Junaidu, Zaradeen Yakubu, Abdulhadi Adam, Mohammed Ibrahim, Chukwu Emmanuel, Douglas Yahaya, Mohammed Lawal, Auwal Musa, and Abubakar Kabiru.
The police recovered a wide range of stolen items, including 25 manhole covers, five solar streetlights, 15 cut streetlight poles, and several items linked to flyover construction and high-voltage AEDC cables.
Additionally, they seized two locally-made pistols, 13 solar panels, barrels of diesel, and several iron-cutting tools.
While parading the suspects in Abuja on Monday, Commissioner of Police Tunji Disu said the stolen goods were linked to an organised network involved in vandalising public infrastructure for resale to scrap dealers.
He emphasised the severity of these crimes, stating, “The diversity and volume of recovered items highlight the extensive and organised nature of these syndicates.”
Disu also reiterated the police’s firm stance on protecting public infrastructure, declaring, “The FCT Police Command and our sister security agencies operate a zero-tolerance policy toward acts of vandalism and theft.”