The FCT Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested 13 persons for allegedly vandalising Critical National Asset and Infrastructure (CNAI) in the territory.
The NSCDC FCT Commandant, Dr Olusola Odumosu, said this while briefing newsmen on Monday at the Command’s Headquarters in Abuja.
Odumosu said that the recovered items, including vandalised street lights, billboards, armoured electrical cables, and rods, were valued at N5 million.
He said the NSCDC had discovered the supposed selling points of the exhibits after interrogations, assuring that efforts were in place to arrest prospective buyers.
He added that further investigations revealed that most of the nefarious activities were carried out during heavy downpours.
“At the end of all investigation, the suspects will be charged to court so that justice will take its course,” Odumosu said.
The Commandant warned residents intending to vandalise public properties to desist.
“Once again, I want to warn every criminally minded person residing in the FCT to do themselves some good and either desist from acts of criminality or relocate from the FCT.
“We will not leave any stone unturned to fish vandals out and ensure they are brought to book,” he said.
Odumosu applauded the Command’s intelligence department for effectively utilizing the techniques learnt during the recently conducted training for personnel of the department.
“During the training, they were charged to be proactive and to rid the FCT of vandals of our national assets and infrastructures,” he said.
One of the suspects, Jacob Jibut, who claimed it was his first time, said he vandalised and stole the armoured cables because he was in dire need of money.
He said that he and his team were carting away with the exhibits when they got apprehended by operatives of the Command.