The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council says it has arrested a prominent expatriate contractor involved in vandalising streetlights in the territory.
The AMMC Coordinator, Mr. Felix Obuah, disclosed this on Tuesday, after inspection of some ongoing streetlights repairs and maintenance.
Though he didn’t mention the name of the foreign national, the coordinator said the company operated by the contractor was well known, adding that the suspect would face full wrath of the law.
According to him, the contractor involved in vandalising the streetlights to enable him to get the contract.
Obuah said the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had directed the agency to ensure that Abuja is lit up.
The coordinator explained that Abuja streetlights is divided into 21 lots, with 18 lots inspected so far vandalised and undergoing intervention work.
He said there was an impression that those vandalising the lights were scavengers and miscreants until the discovery that high-level contractors were involved.
Obuah said, “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 assesment with my team to make sure things work well.
“Abuja is divided into 21 lots, today will inspected almost 18 lots. We have discovered that most of those areas have been vandalised, which 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 a short possible time, the issues is restored. Most a times we thought is scavengers or miscreants that are involved in vandalising the streetlights, not until today that we are 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 get this contract.One of the expatriates has been arrested and is in detention, there are 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.”