The Kogi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested two men accused of vandalising armoured electricity cables belonging to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and trading in the stolen materials.
The Chief Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Command, SC Aliyu Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement in Lokoja on Monday.
The two arrested suspects are Jonah Bako, 30, and Abdullahi Yunusa, 40.
According to the statement, the Kogi State Vigilante Service (KSVS) arrested the two suspects in Egbe, Yagba West Local Government Area of the state and handed them over to the NSCDC on November 2 for further investigation and prosecution.
Yunusa, identified as the buyer of the stolen cables, is said to be residing in Lokoja, but was arrested at Egbe where he had travelled to purchase the materials from the first suspect, Bako.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that Bako vandalised IBEDC’s armoured cables, stripped away the outer covering and extracted the copper wires for sale.
“Investigators further found that Yunusa had allegedly bought stolen items from Bako on earlier occasions, which pointed to a recurring pattern of dealings between the two men,” the statement read.
The NSCDC stressed that the two suspects may be arraigned over allegations of criminal conspiracy, vandalism of critical national assets and infrastructure, and receiving stolen property, once investigations into the case are concluded.
However, the Kogi State Commandant of the NSCDC, Aletan Olumide Ebenezer, commended the vigilante service for its timely intervention and cooperation with the Corps in combating crime and protecting critical national infrastructure.
Ebenezer urged young people in society to pursue lawful means of livelihood and avoid criminal activity, particularly the vandalism of public infrastructure, which he said undermines economic development and disrupts essential services.
He reiterated the determination of the Command to deepen collaboration with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders to tackle criminality across the state.
