The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has arrested 16 persons suspected of vandalizing streetlights across the capital city.
The Coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, AMMC, Felix Obuah made this known while briefing newsmen on Friday in Abuja.
Obuah said that five suspects were arrested with the support of local vigilantes and hunters on Thursday alone, while two others were on the run.
He called on the residents of the FCT to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity around streetlight facilities to security agencies, stressing that public participation was key to the protection of public facilities, particularly streetlights.
“We have already enlisted the support of local vigilante and hunters’ groups, which led to Thursday’s clampdown on the five suspects,” he said.
He warned that any individual involved in vandalising government property would be prosecuted, including the buyers.
He added that the crackdown of the vandals has become necessary following rising concerns over continued vandalism of newly installed solar-powered streetlights in some parts of the city.
One of the contractors executing streetlight installations, Mr Aderemi Rashid, had reported that some of the company’s equipment were stolen by unknown persons.
“The equipment used indicates a high level of sophistication beyond ordinary miscreants, suggesting possible involvement of well-equipped perpetrators,” he said.
