The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, has arrested 30 suspected vandals involved in the destruction of critical national assets and infrastructure across the FCT between January and June 2026. The FCT Commandant, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, disclosed this in Abuja, describing the arrests as evidence of the command's unwavering commitment to protecting public infrastructure and ridding the territory of vandals and other criminal elements.
Monthly breakdown of arrests
According to Odumosu, the Command recorded significant successes in its anti-vandalism operations during the period, with seven suspects arrested in January, two in March, four in April, five in May, and 10 in June. He said three suspects were arrested for vandalising crash barriers along Constitution Avenue in the Central Area, where operatives recovered 12 vandalised crash barriers and eight poles.
Transformer and cable vandalism
He added that three suspects were apprehended in Dakibiyu, Jabi District, over the vandalism of an electricity transformer, while another three suspects were arrested in a separate operation involving the theft of transformer components, with six vandalised components recovered. The Commandant also disclosed that operatives arrested illegal telecommunications cable operators engaged in unlawful cabling activities in the Sunnyvale area and apprehended two suspects attempting to vandalise telecommunications infrastructure around the Transcorp Bridge.
Fibre optic and iron rod thefts
He further stated that two suspects were arrested for vandalising fibre optic cables around Leisure Court, Lugbe, while in April, two suspected iron rod vandals were apprehended in the Central Area. Additionally, two suspected armoured cable vandals were arrested in Utako and three others in Zone 3 for similar offences.
Streetlight and electric pole vandalism
According to him, a 25-year-old suspect was arrested around Aco Estate, Lugbe, along Airport Road, while vandalising streetlight input cables. Odumosu also revealed that a 26-year-old suspect was caught vandalising an electric pole in Wuse Zone 6, leading to the recovery of six lengths of electrical iron and one pole hanger. He commended the Command's operatives for recovering large quantities of armoured cables and other vandalised materials during the operations.
Commitment to safeguarding infrastructure
The Commandant reiterated that the arrests demonstrate the NSCDC's determination to safeguard critical national assets and infrastructure and ensure offenders were brought to justice. He assured residents that the Command would continue to intensify surveillance, strengthen intelligence gathering, and sustain enforcement operations to eliminate vandals and other criminal elements across the FCT. “Our resolve remains firm to ensure the safety of public infrastructure and maintain a secure environment for all residents,” Odumosu said.
