The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has arrested one Mr Yakubu Isiaka from Kano for allegedly vandalising the floodlights at the UJ Esuene Stadium Calabar.
This was disclosed by Commandant Charles Brown, Cross River’s Commandant of NSCDC on Monday (16 Oct. 2023) in Calabar during a parade of two suspects for vandalising public infrastructures in the state.
It would be recalled that on Sept. 28 the corps had also paraded one Ibrahim Sani, a 40-year-old for allegedly vandalising streetlights in the MCC area of Calabar for their highly sought-after armoured and flex cables.
Brown said while the matter has been charged to court with arraignment scheduled to take place on Oct. 19, the second suspect Goodnews Orum was yet to be charged to court because he was arrested on Saturday, Oct 14.
“Isiaka was arrested last week by our men at the UJ Esuene Stadium at about 10 pm for allegedly vandalising two control panel lights in the stadium.
“Goodnews on the other hand was arrested at Mary Slessor Road, Calabar with implements like two hard saws, knives, a sack and other implements trying to vandalise a streetlight at about 2 a.m.
“My men also recovered about five yards of very expensive armoured cable dug out from streetlights around Mary Slessor from another vandal who escaped on sighting our men, leaving the exhibit behind.
“We will continue to put in more efforts to rid the state of vandals of critical public infrastructures, he said.
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While calling on vandals to desist forthwith from acts of vandalism, he said the eagle eyes of the corps were watching.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Isiaka one of the suspects said he was a scrap metal dealer and was taken to the stadium by the vandals whose plan was to get armoured cables and sell them to him.
He said they walked into the stadium in the night without noticing any security but while they were working, security operatives appeared, others escaped but he was apprehended.
According to him, it was his first time going out for such an activity.
On his part, Orum said he was a bus loader and was only trying to sleep around the street light in Mary Slessor before he was arrested at about 2 a.m.
The 23-year-old indigene of Akwa Ibom said the implements shown as exhibits were not his adding that the saw was on the floor when he was arrested. It
