By Wole Mosadomi, Minna

A 24-year-old man, Ibrahim Aliyu of Angwan-Kanawa, has been arrested for allegedly vandalizing property at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Niger State.

Aliyu reportedly broke into the university through the fence on June 12 and made his way to the institution’s generator house, where he damaged the iron door protector and cut off about 16 meters of armoured cable connected to the generator. The stolen cable is said to be worth approximately ₦2 million.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Niger State, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the suspect was apprehended by the university’s security team in collaboration with local vigilante members as he attempted to sell the stolen cable.

“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to perpetrating the act alone. He peeled off the rubber covering of the armoured cable, concealed it in a sack, and took it home,” Abiodun said.

He added that the suspect has been transferred to the police for further investigation and will be charged to court upon conclusion of the investigation.

In a related development, two more suspects — Mohammed Isah, 25, and Ishiaku Ali, 30, both from Kwagana village near Beni — were arrested for vandalizing over 100 meters of electric cable in Sarkin Pawa, Munya Local Government Area of the state.

The duo was caught by a joint patrol team of the police and local vigilante along the Beni/Sarkin-Pawa road while using a white Lexus vehicle (Reg. No. RKD 84 AU) to transport the stolen cables. A cable cutter was recovered from the scene.

SP Abiodun confirmed that both suspects confessed to planning to sell the cables to a buyer in Abuja. They have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, for further investigation and prosecution.