By Ibraheem Hamza Muhammad
Thieves who have specialized in vandalizing public infrastructure for sale to collectors at any given amount are on rampage in Jabi Abuja, posing life threats to motorists, pedestrians and the environment.
It is alleged that vandals are on rampage in Jabi, Abuja by stealing foundry and concrete slabs manholes without considering the safety of the dwellers.
People’s Daily observed that used tyres are were used to cover several manholes along Bala Sokoto Road of Mike Akhigbe near ShopRite Mall in Jabi.
The manholes are large that used tyres of size 15 were inserted in the open to indicate to motorists that the holes don’t have covers and that Drivers should avoid them for their safety and for they not to spoil or damage their vehicles.
It is noticeable that the manholes serves as drainages for exceeter, urine and waste water channeled for the city’s underground waste respectively.
The manholes covers were made from foundries and could be bought by collectors or receivers of alleged stolen goods for sale to any end user.
It could be recalled that the type of manholes were allegedly stolen at the Central Business District, Abuja last year.
Similarly, the concrete manholes covers by the side of the roads are wide open. But some of the manholes have branches of tree place on top to notify pedestrians that they should be safety conscious by avoiding danger.
People’s Daily learnt that the concrete manhole covers are removed and broken into pieces by scavengers of iron roads.
The rosted iron roads or leftovers from construction sites are easy money for the scavengers, because they have ready-made buyers.
People’s Daily gathered that the dealers or receivers of the iron or any metal sheet convey them on trucks to private iron smelting companies coming up in most cities of Nigeria, who process them in iron smelters to produce iron roads,most used by construction industries.
A pedestrian, Mr Edward Simon said he nearly fell into one of the manholes when he jumped over it. He said if it was a kid or school pupils or a sick or disabled person, it would have been a disaster.
A Tricycle operator opposite ShopRite, Sani Soba said, “ Vandals or thieves who steal the covers of the manholes are enemies of the people, the should desist for the well-being of the society.
These open manholes are safety traps for motorists and pedestrians who don’t know about them and may pass through the road in the night, such as: Security agencies on routine patrol, ambulance, amongst others.
If a pedestrian walking alone fell inside these manholes in the night, he may loss his life because there was nobody to notice and held him out especially as the road is at Government Reservation Area or a low density populated area.
Some refuse collectors said that they don’t vandalize manhole covers, but go round refuse dump looking for plastics, cans made of aluminum and others to sale and cater for themselves.
People’s Daily is calling on the vandals to resist the temptation to vandalize and steal public items for the safety of the general public.
When contacted, the Police Spokesperson in Abuja, Supritendant Josephine Adeh didn’t reply the messages sent to her.
But the Spokesperson of Abuja Environment Protection Board, Madam Janet Peni said that she is happy that the agency has been notified and that they would work towards the protection of the environment.
