The spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), Afolabi Babawale, has said the Corps is intensifying intelligence gathering and surveillance operations to track and arrest suspected infrastructure vandals across Nigeria, as part of efforts to protect critical national assets and curb the growing threat of economic sabotage.
He said this while speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday.
Babawale said the NSCDC’s specialised intelligence squad is working to identify and apprehend suspected vandals, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory and Lagos, while also engaging traditional rulers, community leaders and private security companies to strengthen intelligence gathering and prevent further attacks on critical infrastructure.
“Vandalizing manhole covers and underground fiber-optic cables is economic sabotage. We are working to curb this by engaging stakeholders, especially royal fathers and chiefs. We run enlightenment programs daily to make them understand the hazards to our community. They help us by providing feedback. Security is a collective responsibility.
“We also have a specialized intelligence squad working assiduously to catch these vandals, especially in the FCT and Lagos. Furthermore, we engage private guard companies across the federation to gather adequate intelligence, which has helped us arrest end users,” he said.
The NSCDC official disclosed that more than 85 suspected vandals had been arrested since January, with some already serving jail terms while others are awaiting trial, adding that the NSCDC had identified companies allegedly purchasing vandalised materials from scavengers.
“This year, from January to date alone, over 85 suspected vandals have been arrested; some are serving jail terms while others await trial.
“Regarding end users, we discovered companies like Galaxy Steel Company buying these materials from scavengers. If there are no end users, these acts will stop. Our intelligence gathering is ongoing, and we will soon roll out more measures to curb these perpetrators,” he assured.
The NSCDC spokesperson identified manpower shortage as one of the major challenges facing the Corps, noting that its workforce of about 63,000 personnel is insufficient to effectively cover a population of over 200 million people nationwide. However, he said the Corps is leveraging technology, including drones, to strengthen surveillance and monitor critical national infrastructure across the country.
“Protecting these assets is our core mandate. One challenge is manpower. The overall workforce of the NSCDC nationwide is about 63,000 for a population of over 200 million citizens.
“To bridge this gap, we are leveraging technology. In all 36 states, we have commands headed by commandants, divisions in 774 local governments, and outposts in 80% of those divisions to bring security to the grassroots. Early this year, the Commandant General rolled out drones and other technology to monitor critical national infrastructure,” he shared.
On the viral video alleging vandalism of the Festac-Lekki-Ikeja bridge, Babawale dismissed the claim as false, saying the Lagos State Commandant and Public Relations Officer verified the site and confirmed that work was ongoing with no theft recorded. He added that the Lagos State Governor also visited the site and confirmed the report was false.
“Concerning the viral video, it is not true. I engaged the Lagos State Commandant and the PRO, who verified the site. Work is ongoing there, and no theft occurred. The Executive Governor also visited and confirmed it was false news,” he disclosed.
Favour Odima
Follow us on:
