The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Gombe State Command, on Thursday paraded nine suspects allegedly involved in the vandalism and theft of critical infrastructure, including electricity installations, railway materials and conductor cables.
The suspects were paraded by the corps in Gombe State for allegedly committing various offences across different parts of the state.
The activities of the suspects, according to the NSCDC, had contributed to prolonged power outages affecting more than 30 communities in Yalmatu-Deba Local Government Area of the state.
Among those paraded were Umar Mohammed, 32, a motorcycle spare-parts dealer; Adamu Hamisu, 30, a scrap marketer and alleged receiver and perpetrator from Wajari; Abass Abdulkadir, 25, an okada rider from Wajari, who was allegedly involved in the act three times; and Bala Suleman, 25, an okada rider accused of being a perpetrator and transporter of conductor cables.
Others were Babangida Mohammed, 19, of Bogo BCGA, Gombe, a scrap marketer at Bobona, opposite Gidan Bola, who was allegedly receiving conductor cables from the suspects; and Abdullahi Garba, popularly known as Audu Kwadon, 39, a scrap marketer from Kwadon.
Also arrested was Abdulaziz Abubakar of Jalingo Ashak in Funakaye Local Government Area, who was allegedly caught vandalising a transformer at Boderiyel in Bajoga.
In a separate case involving railway infrastructure, Inuwa Abubakar, 30, was arrested with 10 railway slippers.
The corps also arrested Bashir Haruna, 20, from Nasarawa, in connection with alleged vandalism and theft of copper wire belonging to CAP Company, a cotton-processing company.
Parading the suspects, the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, CSC Buhari Saad, who represented the State Commandant, Commandant Jibrin Idris, warned those involved in vandalism to desist from the act.
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He said protecting critical national infrastructure remained one of the core responsibilities of the corps, urging residents to support government efforts to safeguard public assets.
“Protection of infrastructure is the corps’ prerogative. We are warning all vandals to desist from the act,” Idris said.
He called on residents to be vigilant and provide useful information that could assist security agencies in preventing vandalism.
“Residents should desist from the act and help the government in the protection of critical national assets,” he added.
Reacting to the arrests, the Secretary of Yalmatu-Deba Local Government Area, Aliyu Ibrahim, commended the NSCDC, saying the development would help address the recurring vandalism of electricity infrastructure in the area.
“I want to congratulate the Civil Defence. This is very important to us because this issue has been a problem in the local government for a long time. I wouldn’t say it is late, but it is quite timely,” Ibrahim said.
He explained that the local government had spent considerable resources replacing vandalised electrical infrastructure, only for the installations to be destroyed again.
“This issue of theft has been bedevilling the local government for long. The local government has been spending a lot. They are going to vandalise these electrical wires, and we will go and replace them; they will still come back and do the same thing,” he said.
According to him, the repeated vandalism had initially raised suspicion about the activities of electricity workers in the area.
“So, then I called a meeting with the NEPA people. I was thinking that they had a hand in that. Honestly, I have to thank the Civil Defence Organisation for bringing the matter out,” he said.
The council secretary said the arrests had shown that some members of the local communities were allegedly behind the attacks on electricity infrastructure.
“We now understand that it is the locals that are doing this to us, and they belong to the community. It is quite unfortunate,” Ibrahim said.
He appealed to electricity officials not to be discouraged, saying the council had previously suspected them because vandalism often occurred after power was disconnected.
“Initially, we were thinking that they had a hand in it, because whatever happens, it is after they take out the light that the vandalisation happens,” he said.
Ibrahim disclosed that the local government had introduced community-based security measures to protect electricity infrastructure.
“Already we have a system. We organised night vigilance for our people. And even at that village where the theft occurred, we were fully supported by the Civil Defence,” he said.
He added that the council had been engaging traditional and community leaders to strengthen surveillance.
“For our people, we have been holding security meetings. We have been calling the village heads and acquainting them with the situation and problems, and asking them to give us cooperation as regards surveillance,” Ibrahim said
He further disclosed that the council had engaged hunters, vigilantes and forest guards, with allowances provided to support their activities.
“We have recruited the hunters, the vigilante and many more, including the individual forest guards, paying them some allowances to be doing this work for us,” he said.
Ibrahim expressed appreciation to the NSCDC for the arrests, saying the development would reduce the financial burden on the local government.
“We are not complaining because we spend our money to enhance the lives of the people. So, if the Civil Defence has come to do it for us, we are also very much grateful for the arrests they have made. At least, it saved us a lot,” he said.
Also reacting in a telephone interview with our correspondent, Gombe Central Senatorial District candidate, Mohammed Ahmed, disclosed that he had spent more than N56m repairing vandalised electricity infrastructure in the LGA owing to vandals.
“I spent all. The total is about N56 million,” Ahmed said.
He said the expenditure covered repairs in several locations across the area.
“I repaired the one to Hina, I repaired the one, so many places though,” he added.
Ahmed expressed appreciation to the NSCDC for apprehending the suspects, saying the arrests could serve as a deterrent to others.
“To God be the glory. I want to thank God and I want to thank the Civil Defence for doing the needful. They have stood by their name, and I’m sure this will be a deterrent to others who want to go stealing, especially critical infrastructure,” he said.
According to him, public infrastructure should be protected because it is provided for the benefit of residents.
“These are things that are meant for the public to enjoy, to be happy. I contributed my quota and they were stealing it. So, it is very unfortunate,” Ahmed said.
He urged residents to take ownership of critical infrastructure and protect it from vandals.
“They should own up. These things are meant for them, so they should be able to own up to taking care of those things because it is for their good,” he said.