The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has apprehended an official of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and five other suspects for their involvement in the vandalism and theft of a transformer, News About Nigeria reports.
According to a statement released by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, on the command’s official handle on Friday, the arrests were made following credible intelligence.
The suspects, identified as Kabiru Muhammed, Aliyu Usman, Abdulmalik Alhasassan, Shafi’u Suleiman, Suleiman Ibrahim, and Raymond Mailabari, were all males from Tipper Garage, Mpape, Abuja.
The statement detailed the circumstances of the arrest, indicating that the police operatives trailed and apprehended the suspects at approximately 10:45 pm on April 11, 2024.
The suspects were intercepted while attempting to escape with a vandalised transformer loaded on a crane truck in Maitama.
Upon their arrest, law enforcement officials recovered the vandalised transformer, along with several vehicles allegedly used in the crime.
These vehicles include a crane truck, a blue Mercedes Benz with the registration number PKN 497 XA, a white J5 bus with the registration number RBC 228 XC, and an ash Peugeot 406 car with the registration number GSN 13 AA, which belonged to the AEDC staff member, Raymond Mailabari.
“The suspects were trying to escape with an already vandalised transformer they had loaded on a crane truck in Maitama when police operatives swooped in and apprehended them.
“The vandalised transformer, a crane truck, a blue Mercedes Benz with number plate. PKN 497 XA, a white J5 bus with number plate RBC 228 XC, and an ash Peugeot 406 car with the number plate. GSN 13 AA belonging to the AEDC staff member were all recovered.”
The FCT Police Command assured the public of its commitment to combating vandalism and theft of critical infrastructure in the nation’s capital.
The arrested suspects are currently in police custody, pending further investigation and prosecution.
