The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has arrested seven suspected vandals of national critical infrastructure in the territory.

The Corps Commandant in charge of the FCT, Olusola Odumosu, disclosed this on Tuesday while displaying vandalised items recovered from the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Abuja.

Odumosu said five of the alleged perpetrators were arrested while destroying and removing manhole covers and armoured cables around Constitution Avenue in Central Business District, Abuja.

According to him, intensified surveillance and ambush led to the arrest at midnight of the five male suspects, whose ages ranged between 19 years and 24 years.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspects were: two manhole covers, underground armoured cables, two diggers.

“Impounded also, was one Toyota Carina and one Toyota Corolla car that were on standby to evacuate their loot,” Odumosu said.

He added that the command had similarly detained two other suspects for vandalism and stealing drainage concrete reinforcement iron rods along the Presidential Villa axis of the territory.

The commandant further revealed that the suspects were currently undergoing investigations, adding that due diligence would be followed in their prosecution.

Odumosu described the constant vandalism of infrastructure in the FCT as inhuman and an act of wickedness.

He reiterated the need for the regulation of scrap metals (pantakers) activities in the FCT, emphasising that if there were no ready buyers, vandals would not indulge in vandalism.

He appealed to the Federal Government to promulgate stiffer penalties that would ensure committed vandals were served commensurate punishment that would serve as deterrent to other would-be offenders.

NSCDC arrests 7 suspects for vandalising drainages, manholes in FCT