Sixteen individuals were apprehended by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command for their suspected involvement in damaging public property.
Josephine Adeh, the spokesperson for the FCT Police, announced that the suspects were brought before the Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, on Wednesday, to respond to allegations of vandalizing vital government assets and possessing stolen items illegally.
A statement released on Friday detailed that this arraignment resulted from a thorough operation targeting scrap yards, known locally as panteka, which led to multiple arrests and the retrieval of a significant amount of stolen and damaged government property.
Items recovered during the operation included manhole covers, armored cables, and streetlights.
The arrests were carried out based on intelligence-led operations conducted in several locations across the FCT.
During their court appearance, the suspects pleaded “not guilty” and are currently held at the Keffi Correctional Centre while awaiting further court actions.
The case has been set to continue on January 30, 2025.