The FCT Administration (FCTA) has arrested five persons for vandalizing street lights and other public facilities in the city.
Parading the vandals in his Wuse Zone 6 office, after a crackdown operation, Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Felix Obuah, disclosed that over sixteen vandals were arrested last week, while those paraded were picked up on Thursday alone, even as two were able to escape arrest.
Obuah emphasized the importance of public vigilance and media collaboration, saying: “Security is everyone’s responsibility. We have enlisted the support of local vigilantes and hunters, which led to today’s arrests.”
The Coordinator warned that any one involved in vandalization of public property, either as a vandal or buyer of vandalized facilities, would be arrested and prosecuted.
The AMMC boss said that the Council was intensifying efforts against vandals amidst increasing cases of vandalization of the solar-powered street lights recently installed to improve public safety and visibility at night in the City.
Contractor for the solar light installations, Aderemi Rashid, on his part, regretted that some equipment were stolen despite anti-theft measures put in place.
He said: “The equipment used suggests a level of sophistication beyond ordinary miscreants”, an indication of involvement of well-equipped perpetrators”.
It would be recalled that the AMMC Coordinator had, recently, revealed arrest of an expatriate contractor and handed him over to the Nigeria Police Force for prosecution. The expatriate was allegedly whisked away when caught red-handed, dismantling streetlight components.
Obuah accused the contractor of deliberately damaging the infrastructure so as to be awarded contract for maintenance of the same facility.
The Coordinator has pledged to continue to arrest and prosecute anybody caught or suspected to be involved in vandalism in Abuja.
