Wike vows to halt vandalism by criminal elements in Abuja

• …..reveals arrest of suspected vandals

By Stanley Onyekwere

Worried by the increasing rate of vandalism in Abuja, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike vowed that government will do everything necessary to bring the perpetrators to book.

Wike said following his directive, relevant stakeholders are already working hard to stop act of vandalism by criminal elements in the Territory.

This assertion was contained in an  e-statement from the Senior Special Assistant (Public Communications and New Media) to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, which was made available to newsmen yesterday.

According to the statement, the minister, decried that Nigerians could go to the devilish extent of removing sewage manhole covers on highways and selling them, thereby putting the lives of road users at risk.

The statement revealed that some suspected vandals of Abuja highway sewage manhole covers arrested, even as security agencies are going after others.

It read in part: “Some of the suspected criminals removing sewage manhole covers on highways in Abuja have been arrested by the security agencies.

“Efforts are also being made to apprehend their collaborators, especially buyers of the manhole covers.

“As directed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, relevant stakeholders are already working hard to stop this act of vandalism by criminal elements and the public will be briefed in due course.”

It continued that Wike said it was sad that government will use public funds to put amenities in place for the use of Nigerians, and some criminally minded Nigerians will remove the amenities and sell them to Nigerians, who do not mind the danger their nefarious activities pose to their fellow countrymen.

“The FCT Minister thanked Nigerians, especially the man who took his time to record the video that went viral, describing his effort as demonstration of patriotism that the country desired”, the statement added.