The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has warned that anyone caught vandalising critical national assets risks up to 25 years imprisonment upon conviction, as it intensified efforts to curb attacks on public infrastructure across the country.
The warning was issued on Friday during a stakeholders’ town hall meeting held in Koko-Besse Local Government Area of Kebbi State to sensitise residents on the consequences of vandalising public facilities.
The meeting, organised by the Kebbi State Command of the NSCDC, brought together civil society organisations, telecommunications operators, electricity providers, vigilante groups, scavengers’ associations, commercial motorcyclists and community leaders.
Speaking at the meeting, the Kebbi State Commandant of the NSCDC, Abubakar Kabiru-Alkammawa, represented by the Deputy Commandant in charge of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, Florence Adepoju, said suspects arrested for vandalising national assets would be prosecuted before the Federal High Court.
According to him, the sensitisation campaign was in line with a directive from the Office of the National Security Adviser mandating the NSCDC to strengthen the protection of critical national infrastructure and prosecute offenders.
He identified electricity transformers, power lines, poles, telecommunications masts and other public facilities as critical national assets, warning that their destruction constitutes a serious offence.
Adepoju said vandalism posed grave threats to national security, economic development and public safety, stressing that the destruction of electricity infrastructure could cripple hospitals, airports and other essential services.
“Hospitals will be affected when there is no electricity to treat patients. Our airports also depend on stable electricity for safe operations. Without electricity and communication networks, public confidence will be eroded,” he said.
He urged members of the scavengers’ association, popularly known as Jari-Bola, to caution their members against purchasing or dismantling stolen public infrastructure.
Also speaking, Chairman of Koko-Besse Local Government Area, Suraju Saliu, disclosed that vandals destroyed nine electricity transformers in the area, plunging several communities into darkness for seven months.
Saliu said he and some members of the council contributed personal funds to repair three of the damaged transformers to restore electricity supply to affected residents.
He pledged the council’s support for the NSCDC’s campaign against vandalism and called on residents to protect public facilities.
Earlier, the National Chairman of the Grassroots Advocacy for Peace and Good Governance, Muhammad Anache, revealed that the Federal and Kebbi State governments had commenced the installation of a 3.5-megawatt solar power plant to provide alternative electricity for the area.
Anache described public infrastructure as collective national assets and urged residents to report suspected vandals promptly to security agencies.
He also appealed to communities to support government efforts aimed at safeguarding critical infrastructure and improving public services.
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