By Palma Ileye
NSCDC FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu has reaffirmed his commitment to smoke out Vandals and other criminals in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
This is in a bid to ensure peace, combat the spate of crime, and safeguard all critical assets and Infrastructures under the new FCT administration.
Parading the suspects at the FCT Command Headquarters, Wuse, zone 5, Abuja, Odumosu said 11 suspects were arrested for illegal mining, vandalism and scavenging in different parts of the territory.
He said, “Let me relay unequivocally that the protection of all Critical National Assets and Infrastructures in the FCT is not negotiable.
“As the lead agency saddled with this responsibility under the law, we will relentlessly discharge our duties without compromise.
“Based on this resolve, the Command has effected the arrest of these 11 suspects out of which 5 are suspected illegal miners, 4 suspected vandals of public assets and infrastructures and 2 suspected scavengers.
“Upon sighting our team, a lot of them took to their heels but this effort will be sustained with more reinforcement to stop their existence in that location.”
According to a press release issued by ASCI Okomanyi Comfort, CDPRO, FCT Command, the suspected illegal miners were arrested by the Mines and Steel Development unit of the Command after a tip off for engaging in illegal excavation activities which has led to the vandalism and destruction of critical infrastructures such as transmission cables, transformers and degradation of a part of Katampe Extension where they were picked up.
However, the statement disclosed that during a search operation conducted in their huts, 5 cartons of tiles were found and an item suspected to be a used explosive bottle which will be further investigated.
It stated that the suspects arrested for illegal mining activities were; Abubakar Suleman, 43yrs (M) from Kastina State, Sanusi Abubakar, 21years (M) from Kano State, Abdullahi Musa, 18yrs (M) from Kano State, Adamu Hashiru, 31years (M) from Bauchi State, and Ibrahim Abdullahi, 30years from Bauchi State.
Adding that other Suspects arrested for Vandalism of Government Infrastructures and Scavenging are; Ayu Isimailu (M), 25years who hails from Gombe State, Micheal Joseph (M), 30years from Kaduna State, Solomon Leo (M), 40years from Kaduna State, Aliyu Shamsudeen (M), 18years from Plateau State, Kashim Mustapha (M), 45years from Oyo State and Onyeishi Monday (M) 43years from Delta State.
“We have commenced thorough investigations to unravel their level of involvement in the offences charged.
“Rest assured that those found culpable would be prosecuted and if otherwise, be set free after due diligence is observed and in accordance with the extant laws,” he explained.
Odumosu reassured of continuous collaboration with other security agencies and solicited for consistent information and actionable Intelligence from the Public in order to rid the FCT of unscrupulous elements sabotaging the efforts of the Government.