16 suspects arrested as FCTA intensifies crackdown on streetlight vandals in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA has arrested 16 suspects for vandalizing streetlights in Abuja. 

Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Chief Felix Obuah, disclosed this at a news briefing on Friday, November 1, 2024. 

According to Obuah, the recent series of arrests followed a crackdown on vandals in the territory.

He explained that more than 16 suspects were arrested in the last week, adding that on Thursday alone, five suspects were arrested, with two others evading capture. 

Emphasizing the importance of public vigilance and media collaboration, Obuah said, “Security is everyone’s responsibility. We have enlisted the support of local vigilance teams and hunters, which led to today’s arrests.”

He warned that any individual or group involved in vandalizing government property and or trading in the same would face legal action.

On his part, the contractor handling the solar lights installations, Aderemi Rashid, lamented that some equipment was stolen despite the anti-theft measures put in place.

“The equipment used suggests a level of sophistication beyond ordinary miscreants,” he said. 

Obuah also disclosed that the expatriate contractor who was earlier arrested for vandalism has been handed over to the police for further processing.

He accused the contractor of damaging infrastructure as part of a ploy to secure future repair contracts, vowing to continue the operations until the city is rid of vandals.