The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested a former employee of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Isaac Zegbe, and 12 other suspects over their alleged involvement in the vandalism and theft of electricity cables valued at more than N350 million.
The NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commandant Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this on Monday during a parade of suspects at the Corps’ national headquarters in Abuja and at a crime scene in Yangoji, Kwali Area Council.
According to the Corps, Zegbe, 25, allegedly worked with other members of a syndicate to vandalise more than 15 kilometres of aluminium conductors along the Yangoji-Abaji axis.
The NSCDC said the stolen cables were subsequently supplied to buyers in different markets across the Federal Capital Territory.
The arrests were carried out by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad as part of operations targeting the theft and vandalism of critical national infrastructure. The operations reportedly covered the Federal Capital Territory as well as Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi, Benue, Niger and Kaduna states.
The Corps said a sting operation led to the recovery of a large quantity of the vandalised cables at Gudu Market in Abuja, where suspected receivers were also arrested.
One of the suspects, identified as Chijoke Christian, allegedly admitted to knowingly purchasing the stolen cables.
The NSCDC said it had obtained a court order to seal the shops of merchants allegedly linked to the purchase and handling of the stolen aluminium conductors.
The Corps also reported that other suspects were arrested in connection with separate cases of power-cable vandalism in Abuja, including Bilyaminu Musa and Abba Yusuf.
Items recovered during the operations reportedly included cut armoured electrical cables, cutting tools, knives and other materials allegedly used in criminal activities.
The cable-vandalism arrests formed part of a wider intelligence-led operation by the NSCDC, which also resulted in arrests linked to alleged vehicle theft, armed robbery and human trafficking.
The Corps said four suspects were arrested over the alleged theft of Toyota vehicles across the FCT and neighbouring states, while four others were apprehended in connection with an alleged armed robbery syndicate.
An AK-47 rifle, 16 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition and N70,000 cash were reportedly recovered from the suspected robbery gang, according to the NSCDC.
The Corps also said it recovered a child allegedly trafficked earlier in the year and arrested individuals suspected of involvement in the trafficking case.
Afolabi said the NSCDC would continue to target criminal networks involved in the vandalism and theft of critical national infrastructure.
The latest arrests underscore the growing security concerns surrounding electricity infrastructure in Nigeria, where the destruction and theft of power cables can disrupt electricity distribution and impose significant financial costs on distribution companies and consumers.
The suspects remain alleged offenders, and any determination of guilt will be subject to the outcome of investigations and judicial proceedings.