“Everyday is for the thief and one day for the owner,” goes a popular saying. That’s the case with a gang of suspected telecommunications cable vandals arrested today by men of the elite Rapid Response Squad, RRS, in Ikoyi, Lagos.
It was around 2.am. The police men were said to be on patrol of Oyinkan Abayomi, off Alexander Road, Ikoyi, when they accosted the suspects standing beside a white Volkswagen T4 bus with the registration number, KTU 357 YF.
On observation, it was discovered that the men had dug up a 20-metre long telecommunication cable of 10431(type), which they were about to move into the white bus.
The suspects are Yekini Mohammed (52), Mohammed Abdullahi (37), Tukur Mukaila (42), Abdulrazaq Abdulrahmon (25) and Danladi Nura (45).
On interrogation, the driver of the bus, Yekini Mohammed explained that he was invited to the location by Mohammed Abdullahi and Tukru Mukailu, both of whom are scrap and metal dealers to pick up scrap materials in different areas in Victoria Island and Ikoyi for delivery at Lakulaku, Obalende, where they sell them to their clients.
Mohammed Abdulahi, on his part, said that he is a scrap seller who buys and sells scrap materials and that they found the cable at the spot they were arrested and they called Yekini Mohammed to bring his bus to convey them to Obalende where they would find buyers for them.
Recovered from them were: a 20 meters long telecom cable, two diggers, two shovels, one white Volkswagen T4 Bus with plate number KTU 357 YF.
Commenting on the development, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi, directed that the case be transferred to the State Special Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, for further investigation and prosecution.
So, when next you have telecommunications service disruption in your area, the reason may not be far fetched.
