The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kwara State Command, has apprehended five residents for their alleged involvement in the vandalism and theft of transformer and streetlight cables in Ilorin, the state capital.
The suspects, Samson Akintola, Muhammed Zakariya, Mohammed Monsur, Ibrahim Hamida, and Kabir Abubakar, were said to be part of a criminal network targeting public electrical installations across Kwara State.
They were arrested around the Tanke area of Ilorin during a joint operation carried out by personnel of the NSCDC Tanke Division and members of the Tanke Community Vigilante Group (VGN).
The suspects were intercepted while in possession of vandalized transformer and streetlight cables suspected to have been stolen from the Asa Dam and Sapati areas of Ilorin.
Items recovered included transformer cables, streetlight cables, and burnt copper wires.
According to the State Commandant, Umar Mohammed, the suspects’ actions constitute an offense punishable under Section 1(9) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Reaffirming the command’s zero tolerance for criminal activities, Mohammed stated that the suspects remain in custody and will be charged to court after investigations, while efforts continue to track down their accomplices.
He also reiterated the Corps’ commitment to safeguarding critical national assets and infrastructure in the state.
The Commandant further warned vandals and other criminal elements to desist from such acts, emphasizing that the NSCDC would ensure offenders face the full weight of the law.
