He said the reports indicated that the miscreants target the solar-powered streetlights, their batteries, solar panels, and the lightning mechanisms, including the poles.

Gov Nyesom Wike

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has given directives to security agencies to clamp down on criminal elements vandalising streetlights in the nation’s capital.

Dr Peter Olumuji, Secretary, Command and Control Centre, Department of Security, Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, disclosed this in an interview with NAN in Abuja on Monday.

On assumption of duty as FCT minister, NAN recalls that Wike identified the restoration of streetlights as one of his cardinal agenda to light up the city, as part of efforts to make Abuja a befitting national capital.

However, while efforts were ongoing to restore and make all streetlights functional across the city, some miscreants resorted to vandalising the facilities, particularly the solar-powered ones in some parts of the city.

While noting that the street lighting of the FCT had improved drastically in line with the directive of the minister, Olumuji acknowledged that the ongoing sabotage was being perpetrated by unidentified criminals.

He said that the FCTA Department of Security Service had received reports on the vandalisation of the streetlights, happening mostly in the middle of the night.

He said the reports indicated that the miscreants target the solar-powered streetlights, their batteries, solar panels, and the lightning mechanisms, including the poles.

“The streetlights were bought with taxpayers’ money and installed to brighten the city at night and ensure that FCT is secured, but sadly, some criminal elements among us are vandalising them. This is sad,” he said.