The Katsina State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has arrested two suspects for separate incidents of vandalism of public infrastructure.
In the first incident, the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSc Buhari Hamisu, disclosed that the NSCDC anti-vandal team, acting on a tip, apprehended Ma’aruf Yusuf, 20, of Makudawa Quarters, Katsina metropolis, for vandalising streetlight cables at Mangagarin Makudawa in Katsina LGA.
Though not alone, Yusuf’s two accomplices, whom he identified as Aliyu, alias Chakal and Haduwa, on sighting the special anti-vandal patrol team, managed to escape the scene.
Buhari further disclosed that Yusuf tried to evade arrest, threatening to attack the team with a knife before he was overpowered.
In the course of investigation, Yusuf confessed to committing the offence by using a digger and shovel to dig out the streetlight cable.
Further investigations revealed that they had vandalised and removed electric wire at the same location and sold it to scrap dealers at Kofar Guga Garage in the Katsina metropolis. They allegedly sold 10kg to one Malam Ali at the cost of N8,000 and also sold 15kg to one Ayi Guda at the cost of N7,500.
In another separate incident, the NSCDC Katsina Command arrested 25-year-old Gaddafi Sani, a student of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina, for allegedly vandalising electrical fittings in a male hostel.
While parading the suspect at the command’s headquarters, DSc Buhari disclosed that the command, in collaboration with the university’s security personnel, apprehended Sani after he reportedly stole electric wires from the ceiling of a room in Block D of the male hostel.
He revealed that the suspect was spotted by a staff member of the institution while trying to escape with the stolen wires.
DSc Buhari said the university had in the past reported three other incidents of vandalism within the school premises.
The recovered items from Sani include scissors, a small flashlight, five rolls of insulated copper wire, and eighteen rolls of electrical cables.
NSCDC commandant Jamilu A. Indabawa commended his team’s efforts and urged Katsina residents to be law-abiding. He assured the public of the command’s commitment to fighting vandalism and other criminal activities. The Corps also appealed to the public to provide actionable intelligence to assist in apprehending criminals.
