Juvenile Crime in Abuja: Police Nab Four Minors for Construction Site Theft

|Ejalonibu Kolawole –

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has apprehended four minors accused of stealing iron rods from an uncompleted building in the Guzape area of Abuja.

The suspects—Matthew Vincent (15), Timothy Shedrack (15), Moses Vincent (11), and Lucky Enock—were caught after residents alerted the Guzape Police Station about suspicious nighttime activity at the site. Witnesses reported hearing loud noises and seeing the minors dismantling structural components of the building under the cover of darkness.

Investigations revealed the group scaled the fence and used crude tools to remove iron rods, which were allegedly sold to a local scrap dealer known as “Babanbola.” The police are intensifying efforts to track down the dealer, suspected to be part of a larger network involved in the theft and sale of construction materials.

FCT Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, urged parents to monitor their children’s activities and warned scrap dealers against purchasing stolen goods. He called for heightened security at construction sites, emphasizing the need for guards and surveillance systems.

The minors are being moved to juvenile homes for rehabilitation, and further legal action will follow. This incident underscores the urgent need for community vigilance and proactive measures to combat juvenile delinquency in Abuja.