The Gombe State Command of the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps has arrested four suspects for stealing electrical equipment, including armoured cables and disc spots, valued at over N200m.

The state Commandant of the corps, Altine Umar, while parading the suspects in Gombe, the state capital, said they were arrested for destruction and theft of Federal Government property and the illegal sale of the same.

She explained that her men, who were on routine surveillance, swooped on them and arrested the suspects at Kurumi near Tumu in the state.

Umar said, “As a command, we have the responsibility to protect lives and property. We caught these men during our surveillance. These pieces of equipment were meant to electrify the Federal University, Kashere. It is a 33kv project executed by M-2 International Limited covering about 68 kilometres from Gombe to Kashere, but these suspects successfully vandalised over 60km. The suspects are presently in our custody and we will take them to court for prosecution.

“I want to urge residents of the state to continue to team up with the command by providing useful information. The village heads and district heads have continuously assisted my men and to vandals, this state will no longer be habitable.”

One of the suspects, Elo Jah, a 65-year-old cable dealer from Anambra State, whose shop was used as a warehouse for the stolen property, denied involvement in the crime.

Two of the suspects, Seifu Mohammed, 24, and Yusuf Mohammed, 37, however, accepted culpability.

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