Popular foreign contractor arrested in FTC for vandalising streetlights
The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) has arrested a prominent expatriate contractor involved in the alleged streetlights vandalisation in the FCT.
The AMMC Coordinator, Felix Obuah, who confirmed the arrest on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, said the suspect was nabbed after an inspection of some ongoing streetlight repairs and maintenance.
Though Obuah was silent on the name of the foreign national, he hinted the company operated by the contractor was well known, adding that the suspect would face the full weight of the law.
According to the AMMC Coordinator, the contractor was involved in vandalising the streetlights to enable him to get the contract.
Wike orders FCT to be lit up
Obuah revealed that FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had directed the agency to ensure that Abua is lit up.
The coordinator explained that streetlights in the nation’s capital are divided into 21 lots, with 18 lots inspected so far vandalised and undergoing intervention work.
He further stated that there was an impression that streetlight vandalism was perpetrated by scavengers and miscreants until the discovery that high-level contractors were involved.
“The minister of FCT has given us matching orders to make sure that Abuja is lightened up, and as a matter of fact, I embark on the spot assessment with my team to make sure things work well.
“Abuja is divided into 21 lots, today we inspected almost 18 lots. We have discovered that most of those areas have been vandalised, and some are undergoing intervention work by my team.
“We are not impressed with the level of vandalisation that had happened in some of those lots. But I am impressed with my team for living up to expectations, especially with the ongoing maintenance work on Yar’adua Way and Jabi areas, the light has been restored but some are yet to be restored.
“We will make sure that within the shortest possible time, the issues are restored. Most of the time we thought it was scavengers or miscreants that were involved in vandalising the streetlights, not until today that we have been able to discover that high-level contractors are involved in sabotaging the good efforts of the minister and AMMC.
“We have arrested a very prominent contractor, an expatriate who is involved in vandalising these streetlights to enable them to get this contract. One of the expatriates has been arrested and is in detention, there is full evidence to that effect.
“Our report will be submitted to the minister. We must make sure that those vandals and the people buying the items would not go free.
“We can’t be buying and installing while miscreants and expatriates are vandalising it, sabotaging the good efforts of government is wrong,” Obuah said.
