The Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have clamped down on suspected thieves carting away irons used to cover manholes to prevent passers-by and vehicles from into drainages in the nation’s capital.
This is just as some armed robbers invaded a Redeemed Christian Church of God Bethel Centre, Galadimawa, Abuja and carted away several high definition electronic gadgets belonging to the Church.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Haruna Garba, disclosed these to journalists at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday.
He said one Mustapha Kyari, the ring leader of thieves stealing manhole covers, was arrested.
City & Crime reports that the massive crackdown is coming the heels of the vows made by the new minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, to get rid of criminals and sanitize the country’s capital.
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Speaking at the briefing, Garba told journalists that the ring leader of the syndicate popularly known as “Baba n Bola” had already been mobbed by irate youths before arrival of the police at the scene where they were stealing the iron covers.
The senior police officer said, “On 21/08/2023 at about 1900hrs, a patriotic Nigerian alerted the DPO Maitama that manholes were being removed on the street along Federal Housing, Maitama.
“The DPO responded swiftly but met the suspect later identified as Mustapha Kyari ‘m’ 38years from Maiduguri, Borno State lying on the ground having been mobbed by irate youths.
“He was subsequently arrested and three manholes were recovered from him. He however confessed to the crime and that his accomplice by name Abba surname unknown escaped in the course of being mobbed.”
The CP noted that efforts were being made to arrest the fleeing suspect, adding that those who invaded Galadimawa church were unable to scot-free and that they would be arraigned in court soon.
Garba said, “In a similar development, on 23/07/2023 at about 0200hrs, the operatives of anti-violence crime while on patrol arrested the duo of Gabriel Oliver ‘m’ and Emmanuel Ishaku ‘m’.
“In the course of investigation they confessed that they carried out attacks in a Redeemed Christian Church of God Bethel Centre, Galadimawa, Abuja and carted away several high definition electronic gadgets properties of the Church.
“The suspect led the police operatives to Bauchi and Plateau states respectively where the items were recovered. Effort is being made to arrest the co-accomplice who are on the run.”
