The FCT police command has arrested 50 suspects for allegedly vandalising manholes at various streets of Abuja, the nation’s capital.

CP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, who paraded the suspects at the command in Abuja, on Monday, said they were arrested by the operatives who conducted targeted operation, during which, he said, 25 manhole covers and three vehicles were also recovered.

He said the suspects also vandalised some solar streetlights and galvanised rods which, he added were used in the construction of flyovers.

He said the suspects allegedly used various tools to vandalise the equipment and other government installations which they took to various panteka hotspots in Kabusa, Garki, Mabushi and Wuse.

According to him, investigations have revealed that such individuals operate as part of a larger network, selling stolen manhole covers to scrap dealers.

He lamented that such criminal activities endanger the lives of the general public by creating hazards on roads and walkways that undermine the integrity of public infrastructure.

He gave the names of the arrested suspects as Bashir Usman, Shaibu Ibrahim, Sani Isah, Ibrahim Hassan, Mustapha Hassan, Awal Nawan, Umar Aliyu, Auta Umar, Simon Clement, Datti Ibrahim, Mohammed Salim, Ibrahim Ibrahim, Ifeanyi-Chuckwu Emmanuel, Abba Ismail, Najib Abdul and 34 others.

CP Disu also disclosed that another exhibit recovered from the suspects included five solar streetlights, several galvanised poles used in the construction of flyovers, 15 streetlight poles, which had been cut into smaller pieces and several rolls of high-voltage AEDC cables.

He added that two locally made pistols, two live cartridges, one sharp knife, 30 tubes of triple sub-glue, several charms, 13 large solar panels, and seven barrels of diesel which, he said, are suspected to have been stolen from network masts.

Also recovered was a Volkswagen Sporter bus with Reg. No. BJK 592 XA reconstructed into a diesel tanker and a Toyota Carina II vehicle with Reg. No. RBC 312 JL.

“And other exhibits were also recovered from the suspects including several iron rebar rods, nine car tire rims, one fire extinguisher, 11 plasma TV sets, several decoders and remote controllers, 13 cement bags, two reinforced iron doors, and three pumping machines, which we suspected to be used in extracting diesel among other exhibits,” he said.

CP Disu, noted that the diversity and volume of recovered items highlighted the extensive and organised nature of the syndicates, whose activities have caused significant harm to public infrastructure projects and services in the FCT.

“And it is on this premise that I want to emphasise that the FCT police command and our sister security agencies operate a zero-tolerance policy toward acts of vandalism and theft that undermine public infrastructure and safety,” he said.

The police commissioner, while underscoring the achievements of the command and unwavering commitment to protecting the critical infrastructure of the territory, assured that the command will continue to ensure that all those responsible for such criminal acts are brought to justice.