Published by Osasere Edomwonyi Ikpoba
The Gombe State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has dealt a significant blow to criminal networks targeting critical national assets, parading nine suspects allegedly involved in the vandalism and theft of electricity installations, railway materials, and conductor cables across the state. The suspects, whose activities have been linked to prolonged power outages affecting more than 30 communities in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area, were presented to journalists on Thursday in Gombe in a clear demonstration of the corps' determination to protect public infrastructure.
The list of those paraded paints a picture of a sprawling network of actors, from alleged perpetrators to receivers and transporters of stolen goods. Among them was Umar Mohammed, a 32-year-old motorcycle spare-parts dealer; Adamu Hamisu, a 30-year-old scrap dealer from Wajari who was fingered as both an alleged receiver and perpetrator; Abass Abdulkadir, a 25-year-old okada rider from Wajari accused of involvement on three separate occasions; and Bala Suleman, another okada rider, 25, who was allegedly a perpetrator and transporter of conductor cables. Others included Babangida Mohammed, 19, a scrap dealer at Bobona, who was allegedly receiving conductor cables from the suspects; and Abdullahi Garba, popularly known as Audu Kwadon, a 39-year-old scrap dealer from Kwadon. In a separate case involving railway infrastructure, Inuwa Abubakar, 30, was arrested with 10 railway sleepers, while Bashir Haruna, 20, from Nasarawa, was nabbed for the alleged vandalism and theft of copper wires belonging to CAP Company, a cotton-processing firm. Also arrested was Abdulaziz Abubakar of Jalingo Ashaka in Funakaye Local Government Area, who was allegedly caught in the act of vandalising a transformer at Boderiyel in Bajoga.
The NSCDC Public Relations Officer, CSC Buhari Saad, who paraded the suspects on behalf of the State Commandant, Commandant Jibrin Idris, issued a stern warning to those involved in the illicit trade, stressing that the protection of critical national infrastructure remains one of the core responsibilities of the corps. "Protection of infrastructure is the corps' prerogative. We are warning all vandals to desist from the act," Idris declared through his spokesperson. He called on residents to be vigilant and to provide useful information that could assist security agencies in preventing further acts of vandalism. "Residents should desist from the act and help the government in the protection of critical national assets," he added.
The impact of the suspects' activities has been devastating for the affected communities. According to the NSCDC, the vandalism has been directly linked to prolonged power outages that have crippled economic activities and disrupted daily life for residents of Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area. The Secretary of Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area, Aliyu Ibrahim, who reacted to the arrests, commended the NSCDC for its timely intervention, noting that the development would help address the recurring problem of infrastructure vandalism that had plagued the area for a long time. "I want to congratulate the Civil Defence. This is very important to us because this issue has been a problem in the local government for a long time. I wouldn't say it is late, but it is quite timely," Ibrahim said. He explained that the local government had spent considerable resources replacing vandalised electrical infrastructure, only for the installations to be destroyed again, leading to suspicions about the complicity of electricity workers. The arrests, he said, had finally brought the issue to light, ending the cycle of suspicion and waste.
The case is the latest in a series of operations by the NSCDC Gombe State Command aimed at protecting critical infrastructure. In August 2026, the command arrested 16 suspects allegedly involved in rape, vandalism, theft, forgery, impersonation, and cattle rustling across the state. The persistent nature of these crimes underscores the significant challenge facing security agencies in safeguarding public assets from criminal elements who profit from the destruction of national infrastructure.
The command's warning to vandals is unequivocal. The NSCDC has made it clear that it will not relent in its efforts to track down and prosecute those who engage in the destruction of critical national assets. The corps has urged residents to cooperate by providing intelligence that can lead to the arrest of other members of the criminal networks still at large. As the investigation continues, the nine suspects will face the full weight of the law, serving as a deterrent to others who might be tempted to engage in similar acts. For the communities that have suffered in darkness and economic hardship, the arrests offer a glimmer of hope that the era of impunity for infrastructure vandals in Gombe is coming to an end.
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