THE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Capital Territory Command, has arrested two suspected members of an electricity cable vandalism syndicate accused of destroying Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) infrastructure in Kwali Area Council.
The suspects, identified as Mustapha Yusuf, 40, of Toto Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, and Usman Mohammed, 50, of Lapai Local Government Area, Niger State, were arrested by the Command’s anti-vandal operatives following intelligence provided by local vigilante members.
The NSCDC said four rolls of high-tension electricity cables were recovered from the suspects, who allegedly confessed to participating in previous vandalism operations and identified other individuals suspected of involvement in the criminal network.
The arrests were disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by DSC Monica Ojobi, spokesperson for the NSCDC FCT Command.
According to the statement, the suspects were apprehended at the Kwali Division following reports from vigilante members who alerted security operatives to their suspicious activities.
Suspects Spill the Beans
During interrogation, Yusuf allegedly told investigators that he operated with two other accomplices, both of whom were still at large. He reportedly disclosed that he intended to sell the vandalised cables to a buyer in Gwagwalada.
Yusuf further alleged that he had participated in three previous incidents of AEDC cable vandalism before his arrest. He said the stolen cables were sold to a buyer who measured them using weighing scales, while his alleged superior paid him between N4,000 and N5,000 after each successful operation.
The second suspect, Mohammed, who described himself as a professional driver, allegedly admitted to vandalising electricity cables alongside an accomplice identified as Biyu.
He further alleged that a security officer serving in Gwagwalada, whose identity was withheld, provided cover for their activities.
Mohammed reportedly told investigators that he sold stolen cables to a buyer for N50,000. He also claimed to have participated in three successful vandalism operations before he was arrested during a fourth attempt.
The NSCDC said further interrogation indicated that the suspects allegedly worked for an individual identified as Titus, who remains at large.
The Command said investigations were ongoing to locate Titus and other fleeing suspects, establish their respective roles in the alleged operations and determine the extent of the syndicate’s activities within and outside the FCT. The recovered four rolls of high-tension cables have been listed as exhibits in the investigation.
Economic Sabotage, Says Commandant
Reacting to the arrests, the FCT Commandant of the NSCDC, Olusola Odumosu, reiterated the Corps’ zero-tolerance policy towards the vandalism of critical national assets and infrastructure.
Mr Odumosu described the destruction of electricity installations as economic sabotage, expressing concern over the impact of the vandalism on residents of Kwali Area Council, who he said had been plunged into total darkness.
He vowed that the Command would intensify efforts to apprehend those still at large and ensure that anyone found culpable was prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The commandant also directed the Command’s intelligence operatives and officers responsible for protecting critical national assets and infrastructure to launch a full-scale manhunt for the fleeing suspects.
He urged residents to provide credible information to security agencies to help identify suspected vandals, prevent further attacks on electricity infrastructure and facilitate the arrest of members of the alleged syndicate.
Mr Odumosu assured residents that the Command would sustain its operations against the vandalism of public infrastructure, adding that efforts would continue until those responsible were brought to justice.
