Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have arrested 50 suspects for allegedly stealing streetlights and manhole covers, among others.
The police said the arrests were made in collaboration with sister security agencies during separate raids at hotspots in Kabusa, Garki, Mabushi, and Wuse.
Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communication and New Media, Olalere Olayinka, has disclosed that an iron smelting company had been identified as one of the receivers of stolen manhole covers across the city.
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 and Haruna Nasiru.
Others are Abdul Nai’ja, Josua Steven, Livinus Steven, Ismail Abdullahi, Munir Sada, Ibrahim Yahaya, Yahaya Musa, 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.
Parading the suspects in Abuja on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, said no fewer than 25 manhole covers, five solar street lights, 15 streetlight poles cut into smaller pieces; several galvanised poles used in the construction of flyovers; several rolls of high voltage AEDC cables; and two locally made pistols were recovered from the suspects.
He added that 13 large solar panels; seven barrels of diesel suspected to have been stolen from network masts; several iron cutting tools; two live cartridges; one sharp knife; 30 tubes of triple sub glue; several charms; one Volkswagen Sporter bus with Reg. No. BJK 592 XA reconstructed into a diesel tanker; one Toyota Carina II vehicle with Reg. No. RBC 312 JL; two reinforced iron doors; and three pumping machines suspected to be used in extracting diesel, among other items, were recovered from the suspects.
Disu said the suspects were part of an organised network that specialises in vandalising public installations and selling them to scrap dealers.
“The diversity and volume of recovered items highlight the extensive and organised nature of these syndicates, whose activities have caused significant harm to public infrastructure projects and services in the FCT.
“I want to emphasise that the FCT Police Command and our sister security agencies operate a zero-tolerance policy toward acts of vandalism and theft that undermine public infrastructure and safety”, he added.
Olayinka stated that “exhibits of interest” were recovered from the company located along the Abuja-Kaduna Road, adding that the items were now in the custody of the police.
“One iron smelting company, Abuja Steel Company, has been identified as one of the alleged receivers of the stolen manhole covers. The company is located along Abuja – Kaduna Road, and ‘exhibits of interest’ have been recovered from the company and are in the custody of the police.
Further investigations going on as to the company and others’ involvement in the removal, purchase, and melting of the manhole covers.”, the statement partly read.
