The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has recovered vandalised public infrastructure worth millions of naira, arrested five suspected vandals and uncovered a network involved in the illegal use and production of diplomatic and official government number plates as part of intensified efforts to combat crime in Abuja.
Addressing journalists at the Command Headquarters on Friday, the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, said the successes were achieved through intelligence-led policing and proactive anti-crime patrols across the territory.
Sanusi said the command had stepped up operations against the vandalism of public and private infrastructure, describing the crime as a major act of economic sabotage that endangers lives and undermines critical public services.
According to him, the theft of drainage covers, solar-powered street lights, armoured electricity transmission cables and internet communication cables has contributed to road accidents, injuries to pedestrians, increased street crime in poorly lit areas and prolonged power outages in affected communities.
The recovered items were seized during coordinated operations in Maitama, Garki, Durumi, Jabi, Apo Legislative Quarters, Lugbe and Nyanya.
Five suspects identified as Godwin Aja, Mustapha Nasiru, Ibrahim Garba, Abdulrasheed Sale and Dabarani Mujitafa were arrested in connection with the recovered exhibits.
The commissioner warned scrap dealers, buyers and receivers of stolen public infrastructure that the command had expanded investigations to dismantle the entire supply and distribution network responsible for disposing of stolen government assets.
“We will not relent until every link in the chain of supply, distribution and disposal of these stolen public assets is identified and brought to justice,” he said.
Sanusi announced that the recovered infrastructure would be formally handed over to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through its Director of Facility Maintenance for immediate reinstallation to restore essential public services.
The police chief also disclosed that the command had uncovered widespread abuse of diplomatic and official government number plates following investigations ordered after he assumed office.
He said the probe revealed that unauthorized individuals had been using official and diplomatic registration plates to conceal their identities while committing crimes and evading law enforcement.
The investigation, he added, exposed not only the illegal users of the plates but also the network responsible for producing and supplying them.
Several diplomatic and official number plates recovered from different parts of the FCT were displayed during the briefing, alongside vehicles from which some of the plates were confiscated.
Sanusi said suspects linked to the illegal number plate racket are currently in police custody and would be prosecuted upon the conclusion of investigations.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to strengthening security across the Federal Capital Territory, assuring residents that sustained intelligence-driven operations would continue to target criminal elements and reduce crime to the barest minimum.
