Federal Government on Monday said some Nigerians are on the mission to cripple the country considering the rate at which the country’s infrastructures are being vandalized.
This is even as the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed lamented the recent incessant attacks on critical public facilities such as police stations and the Independent National Electoral Commission offices, describing it as not just vandalism but terrorism.
He spoke in Abuja during a town hall meeting on protecting public infrastructure, organised in conjunction with the National Orientation Agency.
In attendance at the event include the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN; his Transportation counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Bello, and his Aviation counterpart, Hadi Sirika.
Mohammed, during his speech said, “Railway tracks are being subjected to destruction, bridge railings are being removed, manhole covers are being pilfered, streetlights and other power infrastructure, oil pipelines, telecoms facilities, and critical aviation infrastructure is being damaged or stolen.
“On another level are the incessant attacks on critical public facilities such as police stations and INEC offices. As a matter of fact, the destruction of public infrastructure and facilities is not just vandalism; it is a form of terrorism.
“Removal of rail tracks can cause train derailment, with deadly consequences. Tampering with aviation infrastructure endangers the lives of air passengers. Attacks on police stations have left many police personnel dead. These are all acts of terror.”
Meanwhile the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Bello has said the FCT administration “needs N2.6bn to replace 25,462 assets vandalized in the FCT.”
According to Bello, recent findings revealed that 400 foul water manhole covers, 582 stormwater covers and 23,210 gully pot covers were vandalized in the FCT.
“Overall, we are talking of over 25,000 covers of one form or the other and these are critical public assets. This is just one aspect. In some streets where blackouts are noticed, one would think it is a public blackout, it is not.
“It (blackout) occurs simply because somebody decides to dig out the cables.”
He, however, called on the security agencies to do more in protecting government infrastructures.