 police have apprehended 31 individuals and recovered stolen items valued at over N1 billion in Abuja.){kind=link}
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police have apprehended 31 individuals and recovered stolen items valued at over N1 billion in Abuja.
At a press briefing on Friday, the Commissioner of Police for the FCT, Olatunji Disu, provided details about the operation.
He disclosed that 16 of the suspects had already been charged in court for criminal conspiracy and for causing damage to public infrastructure, including roads, electrical installations, and navigable channels.
Disu emphasized that the offenses are punishable under Section 332 of the Penal Code, which carries penalties of life imprisonment, fines, or both.
The items recovered during the operation include 115 manhole and drainage covers, five motorcycles, dismantled electrical transformer parts, industrial scaffolding, and bundles of armored and insulated cables, along with copper and fiber optic wires.
Additionally, 29 industrial and solar batteries, solar panels, security doors, 75 bags of cement, and several gas cylinders were among the stolen goods found.
The arrests and recoveries followed the launch of “Operation Sweep,” a joint task force involving the police and other security agencies. The operation, which started on January 16, is focused on tackling vandalism, the destruction of infrastructure, and the illegal sale of these materials to unauthorized buyers.
The CP revealed that several “pantaker” markets in the FCT, including Dei-Dei, Kabusa, Zuba, Mpape, Jabi, and Nyanya, have been raided as part of the ongoing effort. These markets are often linked to the sale of stolen materials.
In line with the operation, the Abuja Markets Management Limited (AMML), under the direction of the FCT Minister, has instructed all market operators to undergo profiling and registration.
The initiative aims to combat the growing problem of vandalism in the capital city. Disu also reiterated that scavenger activities remain prohibited in the FCT.
He praised the collaboration of other security agencies in the operation and emphasized the importance of their continued support in tackling crime and restoring public order in the territory.