Streetlights, telecom cables, billboards targeted: 112 arrested in FCT

By Kelechi Ogunleye

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) FCT Command, said it arrested 112 alleged vandals of Critical National Asset and Infrastructure (CNAI) in 2025.

The FCT Commandant of the NSCDC, Dr Olusola Odumosu, gave the figure during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Giving a breakdown of the arrests, Odumosu said that in January; nine suspects were arrested, in February; three suspects were arrested, in March; two suspects arrested, and in April; one suspect was arrested.

“In May: four persons were arrested in relation to theft of armoured cables and telecommunication mast accessories, in June: four were arrested, in July, six were arrested and some are still at large for vandalising street lights, and in August, 27 suspects were arrested.

“September had a record of 58 arrests, which was the highest in 2025, October recorded no arrests, in November, there were two arrests, while in December, the persons who vandalised ten recovered crash barriers were at large,” he said.

He added that the suspects were arrested for various offences such as telecommunication and fibre optic cables vandalism and theft, as well as destruction of billboards.

“There were theft of telecommunication gadgets and masts vandalism, street light dismantling as well as road crash barriers vandalism and theft,” he said.

The commandant disclosed that 15 of the cases were ongoing, four cases were under investigation, while conviction had been secured in five cases.

He further explained that some of the most affected areas of vandalism activities in the year under review, were: adjoining offices, network providers, billboards, Streetlights, national hospital streetlight, crash barriers and the FCT metropolis street lights.

He frowned at the spate of vandalism in the territory, noting that the Federal Government had invested heavily in infrastructural development.

Odumosu reiterated that the corps remains committed in its resolve to flush out vandals of CNAI, while protecting the installations of public facilities.

He urged residents to join in the fight against destruction and theft of public property, by providing credible intelligence information to appropriate security agencies.

“Security is a joint effort and until Nigerians realise that, we wouldn’t achieve as much as we should in ensuring a secured country,” he said.

Meanwhile, he cautioned those with criminal intentions in 2026, to desist or be ready to face the full wrath of the law if apprehended.

(NAN)