Operatives of the FCT Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have arrested over 50 suspects for their alleged involvement in the vandalism and theft of highway sewage manhole covers and other heinous crimes in the nation’s capital city.
This is even as the police recovered over 25 manhole covers, vehicles and other equipment used for committing the crime.
Parading the suspects in Abuja, the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu, said police operatives conducted a targeted operation, leading to the arrest of the 50 suspects.
He said the police also recovered vandalised solar street lights, galvanised rods used in the construction of flyovers, other tools used in vandalising the public facilities, and several other exhibits at various hotspots of scavengers in Kabusa, Garki, Mabushi and Wuse districts of Abuja.
Suspected Vandals Of FCT Highway Sewage Manhole Covers Arrested
The CP also said: “Investigations have revealed that these individuals operate as part of a larger network, selling stolen manhole covers to scrap dealers. This criminal activity endangers the lives of the general public by creating hazards on roads and walkways while undermining the integrity of public infrastructure.”
Some of the suspects include: 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-Chukwu Emmanuel, Abba Ismail, Najib Abdul, Muhammed Lawal, Rabiu Ibrahim, Adamu Suleiman, Abdulkarim Abdullahi, and Haruna Nasiru.
Others include: 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.
The CP also listed other exhibits recovered to include: five solar street lights, several galvanized poles used in the construction of flyovers, 15 street light poles cut into smaller pieces, several rolls of high voltage AEDC cables, two locally made pistols, two live cartridges, one sharp knife, 30 tubes of triple sub glue, several charms, 13 large solar panels, seven barrels of diesel suspected to have been stolen from network mast, 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.
Others are several iron rebar rods, nine car tire rims, one fire extinguisher, 11 plasma TV sets, several decoders and remotes, 13 cement bags, two reinforced iron doors, three pumping machines suspected to be used in extracting diesel, two car batteries, one photo frame, one pack of tiles, 16 plastic chairs, three generators, one aluminum ladder, one wheel barrow, one roll of roofing sheets, two gas cylinders, one indoor and outdoor AC Unit, four sumo water pumps and several iron cutting tools.
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