Two suspected vandals were apprehended by local vigilante operatives from Ajaji Layout, popularly known as Bonsaac, along the Koka axis in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The suspects, identified as Samuel Dominic, a native of Akwa Ibom State, and Victor Daniel from Ozoro in Delta State, were caught in the act of allegedly vandalising an abandoned building formerly used by the Waste Management Board, reportedly owned by a yet-to-be-identified Army General.
During preliminary interrogation, Victor Daniel, who is said to sleep under the popular Koka flyover, confessed that economic hardship and unemployment drove him into the act.
He claimed his intention was to sell the stolen items and use the proceeds to return to his village.
Samuel Dominic, who allegedly resides in a shop where he sells clothes for an unnamed woman, denied any prior involvement in theft, insisting this was his first encounter with crime.
Local residents who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that Victor is a familiar face in the area and often roams the neighborhood collecting scrap materials during the day.
Items recovered from the suspects include five Alumaco windows, believed to have been removed from the vandalised building along Direct Labour Agency (DLA) Road.
Speaking to the press, Mr. Okolo Francis Isioma, Chairman of the Ajaji Vigilante Group, urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.
He also appealed to the Delta State Government to urgently evacuate individuals who have taken up residence beneath the Koka flyover, stressing that such areas have become hideouts for miscreants and a threat to public safety.
The suspects have since been handed over to the Delta State Police Command for further investigation and possible prosecution.
