NSCDC arrests vandals in Kogi after suspects were caught stealing and destroying underground communication cables along the Zariagi Obajana road

The Kogi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested two suspects for allegedly vandalising and stealing critical national assets within the state.

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Officers of the corps apprehended the suspects on Monday, 20 January 2026, at the Zariagi–Kabba junction in Lokoja, while they were excavating and removing underground communication cables along the Zariagi–Obajana road.

The suspects were identified as Habibu Muhammad, 21, and Bello Ismaila, 20. Their arrest followed what the command described as proactive surveillance by operatives deployed to the area.

Confirming the development on Thursday, the command’s Public Relations Officer, SC Abdullahi Aliyu, said the suspects had confessed to the crime and exposed a wider criminal network involved in the destruction of public infrastructure.

“The suspects confessed to the crime and provided a clue to their structured criminal network. They admitted that they were acting on the directive of one Isah, who resides at Kabba Junction along the Lokoja–Okene expressway,” Aliyu said.

He added that the suspects disclosed that the stolen cables were usually sold to another accomplice, identified as Abuh, who allegedly specialises in reprocessing the materials for the production of plastic chairs and tables.

Aliyu said investigations had been intensified to track down the named accomplices and dismantle the network responsible for the vandalism of national assets in the state. He noted that the suspects would be prosecuted after the conclusion of a thorough investigation.

The State Commandant of the corps, Aletan Olumide Ebenezer, commended the officers involved for their professionalism and vigilance, describing the arrest as a clear demonstration of the command’s commitment to protecting critical infrastructure.

Ebenezer warned that the NSCDC has zero tolerance for criminal activities, urging members of the public to shun crime and report suspicious movements around public assets to security agencies.

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The arrest comes amid growing concerns over the vandalism of communication and power infrastructure in parts of the country, which authorities say poses serious risks to national security and economic stability.