The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested 30 suspected vandals between January and June this year, as part of an intensified crackdown on the destruction of critical national assets and infrastructure (CNAI) in the territory.

FCT Commandant, Dr Olusola Odumosu, who disclosed this in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Monica Ojobi, noted that the arrests demonstrate the agency’s unwavering commitment to ridding the city of criminal elements.

Giving a monthly breakdown of the arrests, Odumosu explained that seven suspects were apprehended in January, two in March, four in April, five in May, and 10 in June across various locations in the nation’s capital.
Highlighting specific operations, the commandant noted that three suspects were arrested for vandalising crash barriers along Constitution Avenue in the Central Area.

Odumosu noted that “During the operation, 12 vandalised crash barriers and eight poles were recovered.”
In a separate raid at Dakibiyu in Jabi District, the command recovered a vandalised electricity transformer and arrested three suspects in connection with the crime.

The Commandant added that three other suspected transformer vandals were apprehended in a different operation, which led to the recovery of six stolen transformer components.

The clampdown also targeted unlawful cabling activities where operatives apprehended illegal telecommunications cable operators in the Sunnyville area, while two suspected infrastructure vandals were arrested near the Transcorp Hotel Bridge.

Furthermore, two suspects were caught vandalising fibre optic cables around Leisure Court in Lugbe.
In April, operatives apprehended two suspected iron rod vandals in the Central Area, two armoured cable vandals in Utako, and three others in the Zone 3 area for similar crimes.

Other arrests included a 25-year-old man apprehended at Aco Estate, Lugbe, for destroying streetlight input cables, and a 26-year-old suspect caught dismantling an electric pole in Wuse Zone 6, where six lengths of electric iron and a pole hanger were recovered.

Applauding his operatives for the recovery of large quantities of armoured cables, Odumosu reiterated the command’s dedication to bringing perpetrators to justice.

He said that “Although the command has recorded notable successes, we are not resting on our oars; we will continue to intensify surveillance, strengthen intelligence gathering and sustain enforcement operations to rid the FCT of vandals and other criminal elements.

“Our resolve remains firm to ensure the safety of public infrastructure and maintain a secure environment for all residents.”