Metro
Operatives nab 31 vandals, recover stolen items in Abuja
The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said it has arrested 31 suspects and recovered public items worth over N1 billion in Abuja.
The Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the FCT, Mr Olatunji Disu said this at a news conference on Friday in Abuja.
He said 16 of the suspects had been charged to court for criminal conspiracy and mischief by injury to public roads, navigable channels and electrical installation.
The CP said the offences were punishable by life imprisonment, a fine, or both, under section 332 of the Penal Code.
Disu said 115 units of manhole and drainage covers, five motorcycles, stripped parts of electrical transformers and industrial scaffoldings.
Others according to him are, bundles of armoured and insulated cables, copper wires and fibre optic cables were recovered from the suspects.
He said other items recovered were 29 industrial/solar batteries, solar panels, several stolen infrastructure materials, 75 bags of cement, security doors, three pieces of 5kg cylinders and others.
Disu said the arrest and recovery of the items followed the launch of “Operation Sweep” Joint Task Force, consisting of the police and other security agencies in the FCT.
The commissioner said the operation was a decisive enforcement, targeting vandalism, destruction and illegal sales of critical infrastructure to “pantaker” operators and other illicit buyers.
He said that the ongoing intensive enforcement operation which commenced on Jan. 16, had been on a daily basis, both day and night.
He said it had led to the raid of several major “pantaker” markets in the territory, including Dei-Dei, Kabusa, Dei-Dei Outward Lane, Zuba, Mpape, Jabi and Nyanya.
Disu said the Abuja Markets Management Limited (AMML), under the directive of the FCT Minister, had mandated all partaker market operators to report for profiling and registration.
He said the idea was part of efforts to curb the menace of vandalism in the FCT, adding that the activities of scavengers in the FCT remained banned.
Disu commended other security agencies in the FCT for their support in the Joint Task Force operation.
Troops of 22 Brigade under Operation Savannah Shield have repelled suspected terrorists, arrested two suspects, and recovered motorcycles during an offensive operation in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
Security sources said the operation was conducted at about 11:09 a.m. on April 14 by troops deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Babanna, in collaboration with Combat Support Infantry Battalion XVI and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
According to the sources, the troops carried out coordinated clearance operations across Dekara, Dongoru, Bakimba, Jigga, Gidan Kambarawa and Masaka villages.
During the operation, troops made contact with the terrorists along the Masaka–Dekara road, forcing them to flee and abandon their motorcycles.
The sources added that the troops subsequently encountered an ambush but successfully fought through the attack, recovering additional motorcycles.
“In total, nine motorcycles were recovered during the operation, while two suspects were apprehended,” the sources said.
They noted that two tyres of a Combat Support Vehicle (CSK APC) were damaged during the encounter.
The suspects and recovered items are currently in military custody for further investigation, while operations are ongoing to track fleeing members of the group.
Troops conducting ongoing clearance operations under Operation Wutan Daji have rescued 12 kidnapped victims and arrested key associates of a fleeing bandit leader during coordinated offensives across forested areas linking Plateau and Taraba States.
A military source said the operations, carried out on April 15 and 16, involved troops of the 33 Artillery Brigade in conjunction with an Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) tactical team.
According to the source, the operations were conducted in the Dajin Madam and Kumbodoro forest axis, spanning parts of Plateau and Taraba States.
The source said the sustained offensive led to the recovery of 12 kidnapped victims who escaped from their captors during the pressure mounted by troops.
The victims were subsequently taken into custody for profiling before being moved to an Internally Displaced Persons facility in Fukuk.
Troops also recovered a Dane gun, a fabricated AK-47 rifle and a power bank during the operation.
The Bauchi State Government has dismissed a driver, Aminu Abdullahi, over a fatal road crash that claimed the lives of two journalists and left 11 others injured.
The crash involving a vehicle conveying 13 journalists occurred on February 6, 2026.
A cameraman with Channels Television, Kani Ben, d!ed from spinal cord injuries he sustained in the crash.
The dismissal was carried out by the Bauchi State Civil Service Commission (CSC) during its recent sitting.
The Commission disclosed that Abdullahi, a clerical assistant in the state civil service, was sacked for misconduct.
The CSC explained that the disciplinary action formed part of decisions taken during its 13th plenary session held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at its conference hall.
It added that Abdullahi’s termination was due to negligence while carrying out an assigned duty of driving.
According to the Commission, the misconduct contravened Rules 0312 and 0327 of the Bauchi State Public Service Regulations.
The CSC further stated that Abdullahi, a Grade Level 03 clerical assistant with the State Ministry of Higher Education, had been assigned “any other duty” and directed to drive a team of journalists covering activities of the North East Development Commission during the commissioning of projects in Alkaleri Local Government Area.“
“Aminu, who was accused of reckless driving, caused an accident involving more than 10 journalists. As a result, two persons lost their lives, while others sustained varying degrees of injuries,” the statement said.
The Commission noted that the action followed recommendations from the Ministry of Higher Education and resolutions of the State Executive Council on the disciplinary case.
Meanwhile, the CSC queried the management of the Ministry of Higher Education to explain why a clerical assistant was assigned the duties of a driver.
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