Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Akwa Ibom State Command, have apprehended one David Okon, a 30-year-old native of Abak local council of the state, who allegedly stole transformer components and armoured cables worth millions of naira.
The state commandant of the NSCDC, Abidemi Majekodunmi, while parading the suspect at the command’s headquarters, Uyo, the state capital, said the suspect was accosted by personnel of the command with the stolen items in his car with registration number, ABC 223LK, adding that other collaborators in the act are still being trailed by operatives.
Majekodunmi, who said the arrest of the suspect was made possible through a strategic partnership with other critical partners in the state, called on the people to report any criminal elements in their midst to security agencies.
He lamented that while governments at various levels are putting utilities in place for the good of all, some criminal elements are bent on sabotaging such efforts.
“We have a case of vandalisation of transformers and we have a suspect here today. His name is David Utibe Okon, male. We have done the first information report. We have debriefed him and discovered that this is an act of conspiracy involving other parties as well.
“We accosted this vehicle through a strategic partnership with some other critical partners. We are deeply concerned because government make provision for public utilities and some people act in an anti-social manner and destroy these utilities for personal greed,” the statement read in part.
While enjoining the people of the state to see themselves as owners of public utilities, the commandant vowed that vandals of public utilities would not be spared.
“NSCDC wants to enjoin the good people of Akwa Ibom state, and all Nigerians that ownership of public utilities belongs to them; they must act in a conscious manner to protect them because they are put in place to actually serve them. Without public utilities, there can be no development. We are talking about the power sector which is very cardinal to stimulating development and when we have such cases like this it will definitely take our country back.
“NSCDC Akwa Ibom state command is ready to deliver on its mandate and ensure that we successfully protect government projects and facilities at all levels as well as individuals property,” he added.
