Police arrest three suspected cable vandals in Abuja and Gombe

Police in Abuja and Gombe have arrested three men in separate cable vandalism cases, recovering armoured cables and high-tension electricity wires, the two commands said on Monday.

In the Federal Capital Territory, operatives arrested two suspects in Guzape after a patrol along Walter Ofonagoro Street in the early hours of October 31, 2026. The FCT police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, said officers spotted a Lexus SUV and a Toyota Sienna parked suspiciously at about 1:30am.

When the officers approached to ask why the occupants were there, the vehicles sped off, leaving one man behind. He tried to run on foot but was chased and arrested, Adeh said.

Police identified him as Sagir Abubakar of Kuchigoro Village, FCT, and said preliminary investigations linked him to a gang that targets secluded spots in the territory to vandalise public and private infrastructure. A search of the area turned up several armoured cables cut into pieces.

Further investigations led to the arrest of a second suspect, Seidu Umar Bello, who had initially escaped in one of the vehicles, according to the spokesperson.

Gombe arrest and recovery

In Gombe State, police arrested a 29-year-old man, Ahijo Boyi, over the alleged vandalism and theft of high-tension electricity cables. The command's spokesperson, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said Boyi, a resident of Burundi Quarters in Akko Local Government Area, was arrested at about 9am on October 31 during a visibility patrol, with help from community members.

Four rolls of suspected vandalised high-tension cables were recovered from him, Abdullahi said. Preliminary investigations suggested the cables were cut from a high-tension line stretching from the 301 Army Artillery Regiment to the Gona area of the state.

The suspect allegedly confessed during interrogation to working with three other accomplices who are still at large, the police said.

The Gombe Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Chuso, praised the operatives and community members for their cooperation and said the command remains committed to protecting critical national infrastructure.

What happens next

Police in both commands said investigations are ongoing and that efforts have been intensified to arrest the fleeing accomplices. The FCT suspects remain in custody and will be charged to court once investigations are concluded.

Vandalised cables mean cut power lines and damaged public facilities, which can raise repair costs and disrupt electricity for residents. Both commands urged Nigerians to report suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station. The FCT command also gave its emergency lines: 08032003913 and 08061581938.