By Ade Oyeyemi
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Anambra State Command, has arrested a 24-year-old man for allegedly vandalising a telecommunications mast and stealing equipment from the installation in Awka.
The suspect, identified as Nweke Wisdom from Izzi South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, was apprehended at Esther Obiakor Estate, Agu-Awka, on Thursday.
The Head of Media and Tactical Operations of the NSCDC in Anambra State, Edwin Okadigbo, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.
According to the statement, the arrest followed a distress call alerting the corps to the presence of a suspected vandal at the telecommunications mast.
Okadigbo said the suspect was arrested at about 7:20am and subsequently taken to the command’s state headquarters in Awka for questioning.
Items allegedly removed from the mast, including DC and armoured cables, were reportedly recovered from the suspect during the operation.
The NSCDC spokesman said preliminary findings indicated that Wisdom allegedly specialised in targeting telecommunications masts to steal valuable components.
The statement quoted the command as saying the suspect had also made useful confessions during preliminary investigation.
The command said the suspect would be prosecuted after investigators conclude their work.
The NSCDC further reaffirmed its commitment to protecting critical national infrastructure across the state and warned individuals involved in vandalism to desist from the act.
The command also appealed to residents to promptly report suspicious activities in their communities, stressing that public cooperation was essential to safeguarding critical infrastructure and improving security.
The statement added, “We urge residents to continue reporting suspicious activities, stressing that public cooperation remains crucial to protecting critical national assets and improving security across the state.”
