Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested two suspects who were caught vandalising and attempting to steal solar-powered street lights along Danjuma Drive, off Trans-Amadi Road in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The street lights were recently mounted by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under its ‘Light Up Niger Delta’ project.
The suspects include a 30-year-old Shaibu Yusuf, an indigene of Bolari Town in Gombe local government area of Gombe State, and Ibrahim Abubakar ‘m’, 28 years, from Katsina local government area of Katsina State but who both reside at Okuru scrap dump in Abuloma community, Port Harcourt.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, said on Tuesday that the suspects were arrested by policemen attached to the Trans-Amadi Police Division following credible intelligence.
Iringe-Koko listed items recovered from the suspects to include solar light poles, solar light panels, solar light panel bolts, solar light panel nuts and a knife.
“The arrested suspects confessed to being part of a syndicate responsible for vandalising and stealing street solar lights and manhole covers in the area.”
Iringe-Koko disclosed that the suspects have been charged to court as efforts were being intensified to apprehend other members of the syndicate to face justice accordingly.
“This arrest is part of a larger effort to tackle vandalism and theft of street solar lights and manhole covers in the state,” the PPRO said.
