Police arrest 8 suspects over vandalism, other criminal offences

The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said it arrested eight suspects over vandalism, “one chance”, impersonation, cultism and drug peddling in one week.

The Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of FCT, Mr Babaji Sunday said this at a media briefing on Friday in Abuja.

He said the arrests were made within one week of his assumption as CP, following the proactive crime fighting efforts of the Command.

The CP said one locally fabricated pistol, one car, six bags of marijuana and more than 20 yards of high tension aluminum cable were recovered from the suspects.

Sunday said two of the suspects were arrested by operatives from Bwari Police Divisional Headquarters in connection with the vandalism of AEDC high tension aluminum cables.

He said the suspects were arrested on Wednesday along Shere axis, a boundary between Mpape and Bwari while vandalising the cables.

The CP said preliminary investigation had shown that the suspects were members of the syndicate sabotaging the efforts of the FCT Administration at providing electricity for residents along Shere-Bwari axis.

He said efforts were being made to arrest other members of the gang, adding that over 20 yards of high tension aluminum cable was recovered from the suspects.

Sunday said operatives from the Command’s Anti- Violent Crime Section on Monday, also arrested a suspect over drug peddling with leaves, suspected to be marijuana along Nyanya axis of the FCT.

He said the suspect, who had confessed to being a merchant of marijuana, would be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for further investigations.

The CP said operatives from the Command’s Anti- Cultism Unit, during routine patrol, arrested two suspects around Gudu axis of the FCT over cultism.

He said one locally made pistol and one jack knife were recovered from the suspects who had confessed to being members of a cult group, “Neo Black Movement in Africa”.

Sunday said a suspected impersonator was also arrested by operatives from the Criminal Investigation Department of the Command during a surveillance operation.

He said the suspect was arrested at Durumi Park for impersonating as personnel of the Nigeria Air Force.

The CP said preliminary investigation had shown that the suspect uses the Air Force kit he acquired illegally to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

He said the suspects would be arraigned in court upon conclusion of investigation.