NSCDC arrests two over vandalisation of telecom mast in Bayelsa

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Bayelsa Command, yesterday, confirmed the arrest of two people during an attempted vandalisation of a telecommunications facility in Yenagoa during the yuletide.

The Bayelsa state Commander, NSCDC, Mrs. Ristiana Abiakam-Omanu, who made the disclosure in Yenagoa, said that the successful operation was as a result of the command’s commitment to lives and property in the state.

Abiakam-Omanu said that the NSCDC had a strategic plan to ensure a crime-free Christmas and New Year celebration by deploying its officers and men across the state.

“The frequent patrols embarked upon by the security agencies during the festive season yielded results when the operatives of the NSCDC got wind of ongoing vandalism and foiled it while the vandals engaged the patrol team in a gun duel,” she said.

The commandant said that two of the vandals were arrested while two, who fled the crime scene, were being traced.

“There was vandalism of critical installation. This time, it is a communication mast belonging to MTN located at Saptext Road, Yenizue/Epie, Yenagoa LGA.

“This incident happened on Dec. 29, 2019, at about 12 a.m. Based on intelligence and surveillance, two suspects were arrested after exchange of gunfire. Items recovered from them include 12 heavy-duty deep cycle inverter batteries, loaded in Lexus jeep with registration number BRS 998 AO,” she said.

Abiakam-Omanu appealed to the public not to relent in giving the security agencies useful information that could help in their operations.

Reacting to the incident, Mr. Stanley Mokwunye, an MTN Site Engineer commended NSCDC for foiling the vandalism.

He said that the company had suffered several incidents of vandalism of its installations in the past.

“The intervention of the NSCDC is very commendable, we are very pleased because out of the 16 heavy duty batteries missing, 12 were recovered and the suspects were caught in the act.

“In the past incidents, we lost various components of our equipment. Frequent vandalism is one of our greatest challenges in Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, and it is affecting our operations and adversely adding to the cost of operation compared to other places,” Mokwunye said.