Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Yobe State Command said it has arrested three suspected vandals and cable thieves.
This was contained in a statement, yesterday, by the Yobe State Command Public Relations Officer, DSC Bala Garba, CDPRO, which was made available to LEADERSHIP in Damaturu, Yobe State capital.
According to the statement, the investigation revealed that, the vandalized armoured cable recovered from the suspects is about 20 metre long and 50 mm pure copper single core cable, valued at about N1,200,000.
Investigation further identified three other suspects who were directly connected to the vandalism and theft of the armoured cables.
The suspects have confessed to the crime. Suleiman Mohammed, 17-year-old, Nafiu Aliyu Abubakar, 19 years old, are cooperating with the investigation team.
The statement added that, the prime receiver and buyer of the vandalized cables who is at large is under serious manhunt.
The items recovered from the suspect at the crime scene include ladder, safety helmet, plier, a pair of safety hand gloves, safety waist belt, with lanyard, safety booth, improvised YEDC ID Card and Copper cables.
Investigations revealed that the suspect was once an Adhoc employee of YEDC but was later laid off.
The apprehended suspects admitted without duress that they have vandalized several transformers within Damaturu metropolis, notable among them are Federal Polytechnic transformer which was vandalized five days back and Ali Marami extension transformer among others.
It would be recalled that, on the 6th of April, 2024 the residents of Nayi Nawa Tsallake area of Damaturu LGA arrested one Umar Mustapha, 34 years old, of Lawanti ward in the process of vandalizing a power substation and handed him over to NSCDC Yobe State Command.
LEADERSHIP gathered that, at the end of the investigation, suspects will be charged to the court of competent jurisdiction.
The state commandant of NSCDC, CC Adamu Idris Zakari FSI, thanked the good people of Yobe State for cooperating with the security agencies. He urged all and sundry to report any suspicious movement of person(s) or objects to the nearest NSCDC office or any security agency.
