Federal Capital Territory (FCT), command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has said they will no longer allow any act of economic sabotage such as vandalism of Critical National Assets or illegal mining by miscreants in the nation’s capital
The FCT commandant of the corps, Mr.Olusola Odumosu, sounded the warning yesterday, while parading 51 illegal miners and three suspected vandals of telecommunication mast nabbed at the Gwagwalada area council of Abuja on Saturday, February 24, 2024.
Parading the suspects, Odumosu who explained that they owe the government complete loyalty in achieving its set targets of economic recovery, security and infrastructural development, harped that war against illegal vandalism and illegal mining is not about media show, but Nigeria and its survival, as well as ensuring that the health of Nigerians and agricultural activities is not endangered.
The FCT commandant, who lamented that economic sabotage through illegal exploitation of the nation’s mineral resources not only poses serious threats to the ecosystem, said , it also makes the country lose billions of naira to illegal operators, as their activities degrade and affect agricultural activities .
He said the three vandals were arrested around Giri junction in Gwagwalada area council , illegally dismantling a telecom mast on Saturday, February 24, 2024.
Odumosu said in another development, no fewer than 51 illegal miners were arrested in the same Gwagwalada axis on the same date by the command’s Mines and Steel unit of the Critical National Assets department.
While enlightening the public that before the decommissioning of any mast, an approval of such act was supposed to be obtained from the NSCDC being the lead agency in the protection of critical national asset and infrastructure in the country, he said the suspects were unable to show an approval from the Corps.
He revealed that upon further questioning, the suspects revealed that a a certain business man had already been paid the sum of N4 million ahead for the dismantling which raised suspicion of a premeditated act of vandalism.
Odumosu, noted that the proactive measures taken by the command would serve as deterrence to other criminals within the territory.
