Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) FCT Command, have arrested two suspects in connection with the theft of power cables of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) transformers in Kwali area council of the Federal Capital Territory.
Spokesperson of the Command, Monica Ojobi, disclosed this through a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday.
Ojobi said that some high-tension cables were also recovered from the suspects upon arrest.
She said that the successful arrests followed an intelligence report from vigilante members, who alerted the NSCDC Kwali division of suspicious activities in the area.
She also said that preliminary interrogations revealed that the suspects are members of a syndicate whose members are currently at large.
According to her, one of the suspects, a 40 year-old male, confessed that he intended to sell the vandalised cables to a buyer at Gwagwalada axis.
According to Okobi, the suspect confessed that he had vandalised AEDC cables not less than three times before his arrest.
She also said the suspect revealed that the vandalised items were usually sold to a buyer who measured the cables in scales, adding that his boss – currently at large – pays him between N4,000 to N5,000 after every ‘successful’ operation.
The spokesperson said that in a similar confession, the 50 year-old second suspect, who claimed to be a driver, confessed to vandalising cables with the aid of one alleged security officer (names withheld).
She quoted the suspect as saying that he normally sold the stolen cables to a buyer for N50,000.
“The suspect also said he had earlier engaged in three successful vandalism and theft of electricity cables,” Ojobi said.
She said exhibits recovered from the suspects included four rolls of high-tension electric cables.
Ojobi also said investigations are ongoing to identify the whereabouts of a principal suspect, as well as the possible involvement of other syndicate members.
She quoted the FCT Commandant, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, as emphasising a zero tolerance for any criminal activity within the territory
Odumosu also frowned at the activities of vandals in the FCT, and directed the Intelligence and Critical National Asset and Infrastructure covert officers to launch a full scale man haunt against other suspects who are currently at large.
“The corps will not rest on its oars until these criminals are rooted out and prosecuted according to the law,” he assured.
He urged FCT residents to adequately provide the corps with intelligence information that would help nip vandalism in the bud.
- NAN