Sept. 1, 2025
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) FCT Command, has appealed to the Federal Government to enforce stiffer penalties for vandals of Critical National Asset and Infrastructure (CNAI).
The FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu, made the call during an interview with the News Agency Of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
Odumosu said that the punishment imposed on suspects prosecuted in court was too minimal, hence the reason why many convicted vandals are re-arrested after committing the same crime severally.
“There is a need for stiffer penalties for these offenders; most of them, by the time we take them to court, they only get very menial penalties such as fines.
“You take a vandal to court only to get fined for as low as 2,000 to 5,000 Naira in some cases while some are given community services such as to sweep some portions of the metropolis,
“We arrest vandals but we keep seeing them back on the road which is a cause for concern for us and it’s so because the punishments are not measures that can deter anybody,” he said.
The commandant appealed to the appropriate authorities to look into how prosecution of suspects will instill fear into those with the intentions to vandalise public property.
“We usually do our part, then the judiciary will do their part, but we don’t have control over hearing dates, adjdournments, convictions and eventual prosecution of cases.
“The box stops at our table when we take them to court but whatever happens after we take them to court, is not within our power,” he said.
The command head further explained that the corps has no power over the prompt prosecution of suspects in court but through its legal team, tries its best to transfer cases to court as at when due.
“We don’t usually waste time in tackling matters that we feel require prosecution as we are guided by the extant laws which stipulates that, you cannot keep a suspect beyond a certain number of hours, which is like 48 hours.
“So, whenever we have in custody suspects for whatever crime, we ensure that we always move swiftly into action by carrying out immediate and appropriate investigation before carrying the matter to court.
Odumosu said that the implementation of strict and timely punishment for vandals will further encourage personnel to work diligently in capturing criminals.
“Stiffer penalties will further encourage my officers and men that are losing their sleep; patrolling and surveying every nooks and crannies to make arrests, knowing that their efforts are not being abated,” Odumosu said.(NAN)
