Olusola Odumosu, the FCT Commandant of the NSCDC, stated that the arrest is a component of the continuous endeavor to root out Vandals and other criminals in Abuja, the capital of the country.
He claimed that by doing this, the new FCT government will be able to maintain calm, stop the crime wave, and protect all vital assets and infrastructure.
At the FCT Command Headquarters, Wuse, zone 5, Abuja, Odumosu paraded the suspects. He stated that eleven people had been detained for scavenging, vandalism, and illegal mining in various areas of the territory.
"Let me reiterate that there is no negotiation when it comes to the safeguarding of the Critical National Assets and Infrastructures in the Federal Capital.
As the primary organization tasked with carrying out this legal obligation, we pledge to carry out our obligations with unwavering diligence and integrity.
"The Command has arrested these 11 individuals based on this resolve; of them, 5 are suspected illegal miners, 4 are suspected vandals of public property and infrastructure, and 2 are suspected scavengers.
Many of them fled when they saw our crew, but Odumosu promised that further reinforcement would be sent in to continue the effort and put an end to their presence there.
Following a tip that they were involved in illicit excavation activities that resulted in the vandalism and destruction of vital infrastructures like transmission cables and transformers, as well as the degradation of a portion of the Katampe Extension where they were discovered, the suspected illegal miners were taken into custody by the Mines and Steel Development unit of the Command.
But five cartons of tiles and what appears to be a used explosive bottle were discovered during a search operation within their shelters; these items will be looked into more.
Abubakar Suleman, 43 years old (M), from Kastina State; Sanusi Abubakar, 21 years old (M); Abdullahi Musa, 18 years old (M); Adamu Hashiru, 31 years old (M); and Ibrahim Abdullahi, 30 years old, from Bauchi State are the suspects detained for illicit mining activities.
Additional suspects detained for scavenging and vandalism against government infrastructure include 25-year-old Gombe State native Ayu Isimailu (M). Michael Joseph (M) hails from 30 years in Kaduna State; Solomon Leo (M) is from 40 years in Kaduna State; Aliyu Shamsudeen (M) is from Plateau State; Kashim Mustapha (M) is from Oyo State; and Onyeishi Monday (M) is from Delta State (17 years).
To clear the FCT of dishonest people undermining government operations, Odumosu pledges that the security agencies will continue to work together and asks the public for reliable information and actionable intelligence.