Police recover 125 manholes in Abuja, warn vandals

The Federal Capital Territory Police command said it has recovered a total of 125 stolen manholes from vandals destroying public infrastructure in the nation’s capital.

Specifically, the command said 10 were recovered during an intelligence-driven operation in the Dei- Dei area of the FCT command.

This operation comes on the heels of a breakthrough last week when the Command, in collaboration with the Joint Task Force constituted by the Honourable Minister of the FCT, intercepted and recovered vandalized public infrastructure

The command spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, in a statement on Sunday, said the manholes were hidden in a pit.

She said, “In a decisive move against infrastructure vandalism, the FCT Police Command has recovered an additional 10 stolen manhole covers, bringing the total number of retrieved covers to 125.

“This development underscores the Command’s relentless pursuit of criminals engaged in the destruction and theft of public assets.

“The latest recovery, made on February 4, 2025, follows intelligence-led operations in the Dei-Dei area, where officers uncovered the stolen items concealed in a pit.

“This breakthrough was made possible through a tip-off from a vigilant informant, reaffirming the critical role of public cooperation in crime-fighting efforts.”

Adeh said the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Olatunji Disu, has issued a stern warning to all vandals and those complicit in the illicit trade of stolen public property.

“We will not relent in our search for stolen public assets. Our operatives are intensifying efforts to locate and dismantle illegal warehouses and storage sites where vandals may be stockpiling stolen infrastructure. The FCT must be free from the grip of these criminal elements,” he was quoted as saying.