ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested eight suspected members of a gang accused of vandalising public infrastructure and stealing streetlight poles across Abuja.
The suspects were arrested during an anti-crime patrol at about 3am on October 23, 2026, with five long streetlight poles allegedly cut from their bases recovered from them. The police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, saying preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects were members of a gang involved in the theft and destruction of public and private infrastructure across the FCT.
She identified the suspects as Sani Musa, Ashiru Adamu, Markus Joseph, Suleman Ibrahim, Jamilu Umar, Usman Aliyu, Uzairu Sani and Shafiu Bala.
According to the police, the alleged activities of the gang were concentrated in the Central Business District, Maitama, Wuse, Garki and Asokoro. “Following their arrest, five long streetlight poles, cut at their base and suspected to have been stolen, were recovered from them,” Adeh said.
The Command said investigations were continuing and that the suspects would be prosecuted after the conclusion of inquiries into the alleged offences. The arrests come amid concerns over the destruction and theft of public infrastructure, which can undermine street lighting, increase maintenance costs and affect safety in urban communities.
Join the conversation