The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), FCT command, has impounded a truck conveying vandalised critical national infrastructures.

The NSCDC FCT commandant, Olusola Odumosu, exhibited the recovered items on Tuesday at the command headquarters in Abuja.

Mr Odumosu said the recovered items included: manhole and drainage covers, an iron pipe protector for the bridge shoulder, communication mast accessories and rolls of stainless steel pipe clamps.

“Angle bar from public water tanks, scaffold pipes and clips, electricity aluminium conductors, wire mesh, armoured aluminium conductors, welding, binding and barb wires, among other items,” he said.

He said the command’s operatives arrested five male suspects between the ages of 20 and 27 on interception of the truck.

Mr Odumosu attributed the successful arrest to the combined efforts of the command’s intelligence and critical national asset and infrastructure (CNAI) tactical team.

“The teams made the arrest while on routine night patrol at about 1:30 a.m. on Saturday around the Dei-Dei axis of the territory.

“The truck came under reasonable suspicion when the teams on patrol noticed that the truck was without number plates at the front and rear but rather had a plate number with registration number TRN 318ZY KANO, placed at the front windscreen of the vehicle,” he said.

The commandant added that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were on their way to deposit the items at an iron melting company situated at Sabon Wuse, Kaduna Road in Niger State.

“The suspects are currently undergoing investigation, and due diligence will be followed in ensuring that justice is served.

“I wish to reiterate that the FCT Command is poised towards ensuring that all CNAI, which is our common heritage, are preserved,” Mr Odumosu said.

He assured the federal government, FCT Administration, and its residents of the command’s unwavering commitment and determination to continue to perform their duty until vandals, scavengers, and other saboteurs are chased out of the territory.

“This is a total war against vandals in the FCT; you have been warned to either repent, relocate to another place or face the wrath of the law because the NSCDC will come after you wherever you may be hiding,” the commandant said.

Mr Odumosu solicited the cooperation of residents in providing credible intelligence and information that would assist security agencies to work and better preserve the aesthetics of the territory.

“We assure you of our utmost confidentiality as we understand that your safety, just like ours, is very paramount,” he said.

On Monday, the federal government inaugurated a Federal Coordinating Council for Critical National Assets and Infrastructure Protection (FCCCNAIP) to help tackle vandalism nationwide.

(NAN)