A prominent expatriate contractor involved in vandalising streetlights in the Federal Capital Territory has been detained by the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council.
Mr Felix Obuah, the AMMC Coordinator, disclosed this on Tuesday after an inspection of some ongoing streetlight repairs and maintenance.
Though he didn’t mention the name of the foreign national, the coordinator said the company operated by the contractor was well known, adding that the suspect would face the full wrath of the law.
According to Obuah, the agency has been instructed by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to make sure Abuja is illuminated.
The coordinator clarified that there are 21 lots of streetlights in Abuja, 18 of which have been examined thus far and found to be vandalised and in need of intervention.
He claimed that until it was discovered that high-level contractors were involved, there was a perception that the people damaging the lights were scavengers and criminals.
Obuah said, “The minister of FCT has given us matching orders to make sure that Abuja is lightened up, and as a matter of fact, I embark on the spot assessment with my team to make sure things work well.
“Abuja is divided into 21 lots; today will inspect almost 18 lots. We have discovered that most of those areas have been vandalised, and some are undergoing intervention work by my team.
“We are not impressed with the level of vandalisation that had happened in some of those lots. However, I am impressed with my team for living up to expectations, especially with the ongoing maintenance work on Yar’adua Way and Jabi areas; the light has been restored, but some are yet to be restored.
“We will make sure that, within the shortest possible time, the issues are restored. Most of the time, we thought it was scavengers or miscreants that were involved in vandalising the streetlights, but it is not until today that we have discovered that high-level contractors are involved in sabotaging the good efforts of the minister and AMMC.
“We have arrested a very prominent contractor, an expatriate who is involved in vandalising these streetlights to enable them to get this contract. One of the expatriates has been arrested and is in detention; there is full evidence to that effect.
“Our report will be submitted to the minister. We must make sure that those vandals and the people buying the items would not go free.
“We can’t be buying and installing while miscreants and expatriates are vandalising it, sabotaging the good efforts of government is wrong.”
