The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has successfully recovered vandalised public infrastructure and exposed a syndicate involved in the illegal manufacture and distribution of counterfeit diplomatic and official government number plates.

FCT Police Commissioner Ahmed Sanusi announced the breakthrough during a press briefing at the command headquarters in Abuja. The intelligence-led operations, conducted across areas including Maitama, Garki, Durumi, Jabi, Apo Legislative Quarters, Lugbe, and Nyanya, led to the arrest of five suspects: Godwin Aja, Mustapha Nasiru, Ibrahim Garba, Abdulrasheed Sale, and Dabarani Mujitafa.

Recovery of Vandalised Public Assets

The recovered items comprise essential public infrastructure, including drainage covers, solar-powered street lights, high-voltage armoured electricity cables, and internet communication lines.

The police commissioner condemned the thefts as severe economic sabotage. He noted that the removal of critical infrastructure directly endangers public safety by causing road traffic accidents, pedestrian injuries, and power outages. Furthermore, the destruction of street lighting has contributed to a rise in street crime in darkened neighborhoods.

Authorities have issued a strict warning to scrap metal dealers and buyers of stolen public property, confirming that investigations have been expanded to dismantle the entire criminal network. The recovered assets will be returned to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for reinstallation.

Crackdown on Fake Diplomatic Plates

In a separate operation, the police uncovered a network producing and utilizing counterfeit diplomatic and official government licence plates. According to the command, criminals have been using these fraudulent plates to bypass security checkpoints and gain unauthorized access to restricted locations, such as government ministries and parastatals.

Investigations revealed that buyers paid between N500,000 and N1.7 million to acquire the illicit plates to shield criminal activities from law enforcement detection. While the primary users have been apprehended and will face prosecution, law enforcement officers have also identified the external manufacturing ring and are actively pursuing the remaining suspects.

The FCT Police Command has urged members of the public and journalists to remain vigilant and report any vehicles bearing suspicious registration numbers to assist authorities in maintaining security across the territory.