By Faith Toye, ABUJA |
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has recovered 125 stolen manhole covers from vandals destroying public infrastructure in Abuja.
According to the command, 10 of the stolen manholes were retrieved during an intelligence-led operation in the Dei-Dei area of the FCT.
This latest operation follows a major breakthrough last week when the police, in collaboration with the Joint Task Force set up by the Minister of the FCT, intercepted and recovered vandalized public property.
The spokesperson of the command, Josephine Adeh, said in a statement on Sunday that the recovered manholes had been hidden in a pit.
“In a decisive move against infrastructure vandalism, the FCT Police Command has recovered an additional 10 stolen manhole covers, bringing the total number of retrieved covers to 125. This underscores the command’s relentless pursuit of criminals involved in the destruction and theft of public assets,” the statement read.
She explained that the recovery, which took place on February 4, 2025, was made possible through a tip-off from a concerned informant, highlighting the crucial role of public cooperation in tackling crime.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, has issued a stern warning to vandals and those involved in the illegal trade of stolen public property.
“We will not relent in our search for stolen public assets. Our operatives are intensifying efforts to locate and dismantle illegal warehouses and storage sites where vandals may be stockpiling stolen infrastructure.
The FCT must be free from the grip of these criminal elements,” he said.
The police urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to help curb the menace of infrastructure vandalism in the FCT.
