Some of the suspected criminals removing sewage manhole covers on highways in Abuja have been arrested by the police, civil defence and other security agencies.
Efforts are also being made to apprehend their collaborators, especially buyers of the manhole covers.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Senior Special Assistant, (SSA) Public Communications and New Media to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike has ordered their arrest and said relevant stakeholders are already working hard to stop this act of vandalism by criminal elements.
He said the public will be briefed on the development in due course.
Wike reacted after a video of a man seen showing how the highway sewage manhole covers have been stolen thereby causing danger to motorists
The statement went further: “The Minister, who lamented that Nigerians could go to the devilish extent of removing sewage manhole covers on highways and selling them, thereby putting the lives of road users at risk, vowed that government will do everything necessary to bring the perpetrators to book.
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“He said it was sad that government will use public funds to put amenities in place for the use of Nigerians, and criminally minded Nigerians will remove the amenities and sell them to Nigerians, who do not mind the danger their nefarious activities pose to their fellow Nigerians.
“The FCT Minister thanked Nigerians, especially the man who took his time to record the video that went viral, describing his effort as demonstration of patriotism that the country desired”.
Recall that that the highway sewage manhole covers were recently fixed alongside the new roads.