Destruction of Public Assets Will Now Be Treated as Terrorism, Could Attract Death Sentence- FG

Destruction of Public Assets Will Now Be Treated as Terrorism, Could Attract Death Sentence- FG

Destruction of public assets and facilities will henceforth be treated as a terrorist act, the government has said.

Such infractions will attract dire sanctions, including a possible death sentence, the government added.

This position was made public on Monday at a Town Hall meeting – the 19th by the Federal Government – in Abuja. Its theme was Protection of Public Infrastructure.

Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed, was joined at the meeting by Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Fashola, Transport Minister Chibuike Amaechi, Federal Capital Territory Minister Mohammed Bello and Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika.

The Information minister listed the assets being wantonly destroyed as including police stations and equipment; burning of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices and facilities; removing of rail tracks, bridge railing and aviation infrastructure.

The minister promised firm actions against people involved in the “alarming” activities which threaten national security.

Mohammed said: “Today’s town hall meeting is both urgent and important because it touches on an issue that is at the very core of economic growth and national development, which is public infrastructure.

“When public infrastructure is being targeted for destruction by some unpatriotic Nigerians, it calls for great concern and immediate action, hence our decision to organize this town hall meeting”

The minister lamented that despite government efforts in providing new infrastructure, in addition to reconstructing and rehabilitating existing ones, the efforts are being thwarted by some unpatriotic citizens.

“Thereby depriving the greater citizenry – for whose benefits these projects and services are provided – from enjoying them”.

“Railway tracks are being subjected to destruction, bridge railings are being removed, manhole covers are being pilfered, street lights and other power infrastructure, oil pipelines, telecoms facilities, and critical aviation infrastructure are being damaged or stolen. Apart from endangering the lives of fellow innocent citizens, such unpatriotic acts take a toll on the government’s limited revenue, as it seeks to replace, rehabilitate or totally reconstruct such destroyed infrastructure.

“On another level is 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.”

Bello said the laws were there to deal with offenders but they need to be enforced.

The minister said ‘criminality grows in a modular form” and as such needs to be dealt with on time.

Bello said over 400 manhole covers had bee

n destroyed in the FCT, thereby creating room for erosion and flood.

Fashola said twin sanctions will be enforced against anyone caught destroying or vandalizing public assets.

The sanctions will be payment for the repairs of the damaged facility and thereafter, prosecution of the suspect.

Fashola said the combined cost of repairs of some damaged and vandalized bridges amounted to over N3 billion. He mentioned Otedola, Kara and Toyota/Airport Road bridges in Lagos and Tamburawa in Kano as some that a larger chunk of the N3 billion went into.

He said: “No nation grows beyond the capacity of its infrastructure. Then, for every single one that we have, we must optimize it.

“Some bridges across the country have suffered some form of damage or the other. For example, the Otedola Bridge in Lagos; there was damage to the bridge elements by fire caused by petrol-laden tankers. Another is the Kara Bridge in Lagos damaged by petrol tankers.

”Also, Tamburawa bridge in Kano, damaged by illegal mining activities that exposed all of the parts sustaining the weight of the bridge, he added as he spoke more.