The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of three individuals suspected of vandalising electric cables in separate incidents across the state.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday in Minna by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun.
According to Abiodun, the first two suspects, aged 25 and 30, were apprehended around 11:50 p.m. on June 10 by a joint patrol team comprising police operatives and local vigilantes along the Beni/Sarkin-Pawa road in Munya Local Government Area.
“The suspects, who are from Kwagana village in the Beni area, were caught in the act of vandalising electric cables measuring over 100 metres,” Abiodun stated. “They were in possession of a cable cutter and drove a white Lexus with registration number RKD 84 AU.”
He added that during interrogation, the suspects confessed they intended to sell the cables to a buyer in Abuja. Both men have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further investigation and prosecution.
In a related development, Abiodun revealed that a 24-year-old man was arrested on June 12 by the security unit of the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, over the theft of armoured cable from the institution’s generator house at the Bosso campus.
“The suspect allegedly cut and stole 16 metres of armoured cable, which is valued at about N2 million,” the police spokesman explained.
He said the vandalism was discovered by university security officials on the morning of June 11, and the suspect was later caught trying to sell the cable in Angwan-Masa, Bosso.
“Thanks to the vigilance of members of the Angwan-Masa community, the suspect was apprehended with the stolen cable and handed over to the Bosso Divisional Police Headquarters,” Abiodun said.
He confirmed that investigations are ongoing and all suspects will be charged in court once inquiries are concluded.
