The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Capital Territory Command, has arrested 82 suspected vandals and 22 illegal miners from August till date.
The FCT Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr. Olusola Odumosu, gave the figures during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.
Odumosu said that 20 suspects were arrested in connection with manhole cover theft and vandalism of critical national assets and infrastructure.
He said that five suspects were arrested in September for alleged vandalism of electrical cables, 14 for alleged vandalism of other public property and two others for alleged television theft.
The commandant said that the other suspects include 28 persons nabbed for alleged railway vandalism and destruction of other critical national assets.
“Eleven were apprehended in October for illegal mining. December recorded parade of 11 illegal miners and two vandals,” he added.
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Odumosu said that the command, under his leadership, had sanctioned three Private Guard Companies for various offences including operating without licence and refusing to renew licence.
He said that the command was prepared to intensify efforts in 2024 to clamp down on vandals, illegal PGC operators and miscreants within the FCT.
Recall that the Minister of Solid Mineral, Dele Alake, on December 12 blamed unnamed ‘Powerful Nigerians’ for the illegal mining activities and acts of terrorism going on in different parts of the country.
Alake made the allegation on Tuesday when he led a delegation of top officials of the ministry to defend the 2024, budget estimates before the House Committee on Solid Minerals at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
As part of the effort adopted to curb illegal mining across the country, the Federal Government, Alake had disclosed has put up inter-ministerial measures to fight the menace to protect the nation’s endowed natural resources.
NAN
