NSCDC parades 3 over vandalism of Kwali, Dei Dei electricity transformers

 Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has paraded three suspects over vandalism of electricity transformers in Kwali and Dei Dei in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Commandant, FCT Command, Mr. Patrick Ukpan, while briefing newsmen yesterday, said the suspects were monitored and caught in the act.

Ukpan said, Mohammed Tanko, 22, from Katsina State, was caught vandalising the transformer powering Koroko village in Kwali Area Council. 

“He was caught in the act with armoured cables cutter, pliers and hacksaws,” he said.

Confessing, Tanko said he was an automobile electrician who was suspended from where he worked for 43 days and became idle and that he along with his friend, who is still at large, went at night to vandalise the transformer to make quick money.

Ibrahim Saleh, 22, another suspect, said he was a scavenger who stumbled upon the vandalised materials around MOPOL Barracks in Dei Dei and tried to cart them away. NSCDC said he was caught with vandalised transformer covers and had a cable cutter.

The third suspect, Babangida Abdullahi, aged 30, said he did not vandalise the power equipment but was arrested on the grounds that he sold the materials. 

The NSCDC said he was the alleged syndicate leader receiving vandalised materials within Kwali area for onward sales.

Ukpan said the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution after investigation. 

He also noted that his men are on surveillance of places where such vandalised materials are sold in the FCT.

“We do not just end up trailing the vandalism suspects but we are also on the trail of those places where they go to sell the items,” Ukpan said.

The spokesperson for AEDC FCT South Region, Mrs Patience Toyo, said vandalism affects power supply and often cost the company huge resources to replace the affected transformers. 

She said, “In places where we witness vandalism, the community is shut down for a very long period and that means a lot of losses to the company.”

POSTED BY:OPUOMONI PRIYE

DATE:05/11/2017