CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
Operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID Annex, Alagbon, Lagos have arrested four suspected members of a syndicate specializing in vandalizing telecommunication facilities in the South East and Lagos States.
The arrest followed a written petition by PLUTOLORD SOLICITORS on behalf of ATC Telecommunications Nationwide over incessant attacks on telecom sites.
According to the petition dated 11th August, 2026, sometime in March, April and May 2026, some armed hoodlums attacked, robbed and vandalized telecommunication facilities in parts of the South Eastern States and Lagos State.
The hoodlums were said to have carted away telecommunication equipment and other valuable items such as modules, solar batteries, solar panels and generators, valued at about One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira, N150,000,000.
Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer of the FCID Annex, Alagbon, ASP Aminat Mayegun, said the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the Annex, AIG Simeon Udofia Akpanudom, tasked the SWAT operatives to investigate the matter immediately after receiving the petition.
She said prompt, discreet, knowledge-based and intelligence-led investigation by operatives of the FCID Annex, Lagos, culminated in the arrest of the suspects in a shop at No. 12 Pastor Alabi Close, Kosofe Area, Lagos.
Mayegun gave the names of the suspects as Abuchi Odikemere, aged 29 years, Anyanwu Emmanuel, aged 28 years, Kayode Segun, aged 28 years, and Emmanuel Chineku, aged 17 years.
She stated that exhibits recovered from the suspects and duly identified by the petitioners included two surveillance cameras, 52 solar batteries, one hammer, one chisel, three small solar panels and two solar meters.
According to her, “Our operatives acted on credible intelligence and carried out a discreet investigation which led to the arrest of the four suspects at their hideout in Kosofe. The exhibits were recovered and identified by the petitioners as part of their stolen telecommunications equipment.”
Mayegun added that efforts are ongoing to dismantle the syndicate and apprehend other fleeing members, while the suspects in custody will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.
In his reaction, AIG Simeon Udofia Akpanudom, the AIG in charge of FCID Annex, Alagbon, commended the SWAT operatives for their professionalism and swift action which led to the arrest.
Akpanudom warned that the Command will not tolerate vandalization of critical national infrastructure.
“The AIG in charge of FCID Annex Lagos, AIG Simeon Udofia Akpanudom, warns that the Command will not tolerate vandalization of critical national infrastructure. Anyone found sabotaging telecommunications facilities will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly. We will continue to protect critical assets and ensure that economic saboteurs have no hiding place in Lagos and other parts of the country,” Mayegun quoted the AIG.
He also urged telecom companies to strengthen security around their facilities and to promptly report any suspicious activities to the police for quick intervention.
The vandalization of telecommunication facilities has remained a major challenge to network providers in Nigeria, leading to poor network services, dropped calls and huge financial losses running into hundreds of millions of naira annually.
The arrest by the FCID Annex under AIG Simeon Udofia Akpanudom is seen as a major breakthrough in the fight against the menace in the South East and Lagos axis.
