The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) has announced the arrest of a prominent expatriate contractor allegedly involved in the vandalism of streetlights in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Mr. Felix Obuah, the Coordinator of the AMMC, disclosed the development on Tuesday during an inspection of ongoing streetlight repairs and maintenance projects.
While Obuah did not disclose the identity of the arrested foreign national, he confirmed that the company involved is a well-known contractor. “The suspect will face the full wrath of the law,” Obuah said.
He noted that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had issued a directive to ensure that Abuja is fully illuminated, prompting a crackdown on those sabotaging the efforts.
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According to Obuah, the detained expatriate allegedly vandalized the streetlights to secure contracts for repairs and replacements.
“The streetlights in Abuja are divided into 21 lots, and so far, 18 of these lots have been inspected. We discovered that most of the lights in these areas had been vandalized, although intervention work is currently underway,” he explained.
Obuah revealed that there was an initial assumption that the acts of vandalism were carried out by scavengers and miscreants, but recent findings exposed the involvement of high-level contractors.
“The minister of FCT gave us a marching order to ensure the city is well-lit, and I went on a spot assessment with my team to ensure everything is on track,” Obuah said.
“We have inspected 18 lots today. Unfortunately, the extent of vandalism in some areas is alarming. However, I am pleased with the efforts of my team, particularly on Yar’adua Way and Jabi, where the lights have been restored, although some areas still require further work.”
Obuah further emphasized that decisive action will be taken to prevent future occurrences. “At first, we believed it was scavengers or miscreants behind the vandalism, but today we uncovered that high-level contractors are sabotaging the efforts of the minister and the AMMC.”
He added, “One of the expatriate contractors involved has been arrested and is currently in detention, with substantial evidence to support the case. Our report will be submitted to the minister, and we are committed to ensuring that those responsible, including buyers of stolen items, will not escape justice.”
Obuah stressed the importance of accountability, stating, “We cannot keep installing new lights only for miscreants and expatriates to destroy them. Sabotaging government efforts is unacceptable.”
