The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa has appealed to the police high command to step up surveillance on the increasing activity of vandals in the territory and arrest those involved.

Musa made the appeal while receiving the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr Solomon Arase, who paid him a working visit in Abuja.

He specifically requested the police to apprehend those removing vital equipment, such as electrical and telecommunication cables, manhole covers, as well as railway tracks that were still under construction.

Musa warned that the security agents have to frontally tackle all those engaged in the nefarious activities, as they have the potential of graduating into big time criminals, if they were not adequately checked.

“What is more disturbing now is that even the urban railway system that is under construction, vandals have started vandalizing the tracks by removing vital equipment. Of course, the issue of the manhole covers is well known.

“Each manhole is probably about four meters deep and when you leave it open, it’s very dangerous.

“Even though these might not appear to be very serious crimes– compared to armed robbery and kidnapping– they are still crimes, because those that do these minor criminal activities eventually graduate to become big time criminals,” he said.

He charged the IG to also unmask those patronizing the vandals, so as to put an end to the illicit trade.

“We need to identify who those vandals are and the markets where they take these items for sale.

“We need to make examples with some people, or else, government will continue to invest a lot of resources on key infrastructure and people will just vandalize and sell them for a fraction of the cost,” he said.

Musa also appreciated the existing cordial relationship existing between the FCTA and the Nigeria Police, which he said has made his job and the security of Abuja a lot easier.

He pledged that the FCT Administration would continue to support the security agencies to do their job of making Abuja a very secure city.

He, however, frowned at the scenario where some Abuja motorists flout basic traffic rules.

According to him, it is disheartening to see that up till now, some road users in Abuja still do not like to obey traffic signs.

Earlier, the IG appreciated the logistic support of the FCTA and called for more assistance in terms vehicles to the FCT Police Command to boost their surveillance activities.

He said that the police had deployed policemen on horses to strategic areas, including the Federal Secretariat, to beef up security, adding that the Force would do everything possible to keep Abuja safe.

He further solicited the support of the FCTA to provide the territory a befitting Police Headquarters that would give the ambiance it deserved.