The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested two suspected vandals and recovered several armoured cables in the Guzape area of Abuja.
The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Mohammed Sanusi, disclosed this to journalists at the command headquarters on Tuesday, saying the suspects were arrested during a routine surveillance operation along Walter Ofonagoro Street.
He said police operatives, while on patrol, sighted a Lexus SUV and a Toyota Sienna parked under suspicious circumstances and approached the vehicles to ascertain the occupants’ activities.
According to him, the occupants sped off upon sighting the police team, abandoning one of their accomplices who attempted to escape on foot but was intercepted and arrested.
Sanusi said preliminary investigations identified the suspect as Sagir Abubakar, a resident of Kuchigoro Village in the FCT, who allegedly belonged to a gang that targeted secluded locations to vandalise public and private infrastructure.
He added that a search of the surrounding area led to the recovery of several cut-to-size armoured cables.
The commissioner said further investigations led to the arrest of another suspected accomplice, identified as Seidu Umar Bello, who had initially escaped in one of the vehicles.
He said investigations were ongoing to establish the full extent of the suspects’ activities, identify other members of the gang and apprehend those still at large.
Sanusi added that the suspects remained in custody and would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons and activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency lines: 08032003913 and 08061581938.