NSCDC ARRESTS 36 SCAVENGERS FOR VANDALISM
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The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Federal Capital Territory Command on Friday presented 36 scavengers arrested across Abuja for allegedly engaging in criminal activities, including vandalism and theft of public infrastructure.
Addressing journalists, the FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu, stated that the suspects were apprehended in various parts of the city center and suburbs as part of an ongoing operation targeting scavengers, locally referred to as Baban bola.
The arrests followed directives from the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to ban scavenging in the territory and suspend commercial activities in Pantaker Markets for two weeks.
“These individuals were arrested for engaging in criminal acts under the guise of scavenging. They vandalise manhole covers, streetlights, solar panels, and other public infrastructure to sell as scrap, causing significant damage to the city’s infrastructure,” he stated.
The commandant revealed that the suspects were also linked to robbery, theft of household items, and other criminal activities.
Recovered items included four daggers, three jackknives, chisels, iron rods, narcotic substances, codeine syrup, and wraps of cannabis.
Odumosu added that investigations showed some scavengers act as informants for armed robbers, kidnappers, and other criminal gangs.
“The most vital is that many of them work as informants for armed robbers, kidnappers, hired assassins, terrorists, bandits, and all sorts of criminal gangs.
“Many families have fallen victim to kidnapping, abduction for ransom, murder, assassination, and the like because they give information about your family, the number of children you have, the types of cars you drive, where you work, and by extension, keep tabs on your movements,” he said.
He emphasized the FCT administration’s strict zero-tolerance policy on scavenging in the city and cautioned that those who break the law would be prosecuted.
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