Two jailed for vandalising electricity facilities in Bauchi

Two men have been sentenced to nine months imprisonment each for vandalising electricity equipment in Bauchi State.

The convicts were arrested by the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officers in Misau Local government Area of the state, the Deputy Commandant of the NSCDC in the state, Okoh Philips, said yesterday.

Philips disclosed this at the sideline of a one-day sensitization of stakeholders on the Protection of National Assets and Critical Infrastructure, organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

He said the NSCDC will continue to carry out its constitutional mandate of protecting national assets and critical infrastructure by arresting people who vandalized, destroyed or tampered with the assets to replace, restore and pay for the damage.

“If anyone is found vandalizing any critical infrastructures like government buildings, petroleum pipelines, electricity transformers, cables, poles among others, they will be arrested and prosecuted. “As I speak with you now, two people from Misau (in Misau Local Government Area of Bauchi State) are in jail for vandalizing some PHCN equipment. Not only that, they were fined to pay N200,000 compensation to the Jos Distribution Company (JED),” he said. He said some suspects caught vandalising same infrastructure in Tafawa Balewa are also in custody and would be taken to court.