The suspects were allegedly caught with 13 square metres of aluminium roofing sheets removed from renovation works at the School of Nursing, Hadejia

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Jigawa State Command, has arrested four suspects allegedly involved in the vandalism and theft of aluminium roofing sheets from the School of Nursing, Hadejia, in the state.

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The NSCDC roofing theft suspects were apprehended on Tuesday by operatives of the Gandun Sarki Division during a routine surveillance operation conducted to protect critical national assets and infrastructure.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASC Badruddeen Tijjani, confirmed the arrests in a statement issued on Wednesday in Dutse, saying the suspects were intercepted behind the perimeter fence of the nursing institution.

“The suspects were intercepted during routine surveillance as part of the Corps’ mandate to safeguard Critical National Assets and Infrastructure,” Tijjani said.

According to the spokesperson, the suspects were found in possession of 13 square metres of aluminium roofing sheets allegedly removed from ongoing renovation works at the school.

“During the operation, the suspects were found in possession of thirteen square metres of aluminum roofing sheets suspected to have been removed from the ongoing renovation works at the institution,” he said.

The suspects were identified as Adamu Mohd, 31, a security guard at the school and resident of Ramin Zaki Quarters, Hadejia; Dan Inu Mohd, 35, a carpenter from Gandun Sarki in Malam Madori Local Government Area; Isma’ila Adamu, 30, a tricycle rider from the same area; and Bashari Yahaya, 25, an apprentice also from Gandun Sarki.

Preliminary investigations reportedly revealed that one of the suspects was a member of the school’s security personnel, raising concerns over possible weaknesses in the institution’s internal security arrangements.

Tijjani described the development as a significant security lapse that could have enabled the removal of materials from the ongoing renovation project.

“This development has exposed a significant security lapse within the institution’s internal security architecture,” he said.

The NSCDC said the management of the School of Nursing, Hadejia, had been informed of the security weakness and advised to strengthen its internal measures to prevent similar incidents.

“The command has drawn the attention of the management to the identified security gap and advised the institution to strengthen its internal security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future,” Tijjani added.

The Jigawa State Commandant of the NSCDC, CC Muhammad Ingawa, meanwhile, reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to protecting public infrastructure and tackling vandalism across the state.

“The Corps remains unwavering in its commitment to protecting Critical National Assets and Infrastructure across Jigawa State,” Ingawa said through the Command’s spokesperson.

He warned individuals involved in vandalism, theft and other forms of economic sabotage to desist, stressing that the Corps would continue to intensify its surveillance and enforcement activities.

“Individuals involved in vandalism, theft, and other acts of economic sabotage should desist. The Corps will continue to intensify surveillance, intelligence gathering, and enforcement operations to ensure offenders are brought to justice,” Ingawa warned.

The arrests come against the backdrop of persistent concerns over the vandalism of public infrastructure across Nigeria, where schools, hospitals, power facilities and other government assets have frequently been targeted for valuable construction and electrical materials.

Such incidents can cause significant financial losses while also delaying public projects and disrupting essential services.

In the Hadejia case, the alleged removal of roofing materials from an institution undergoing renovation could potentially undermine efforts to improve facilities for nursing students and staff.

The NSCDC is expected to continue its investigation into the alleged theft, while the recovered materials remain in its custody as the authorities work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

The case also highlights the importance of effective internal security at public institutions, particularly those undergoing construction or renovation, where valuable materials can be vulnerable to theft and vandalism.

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The NSCDC’s latest operation underscores the agency’s broader role in protecting critical public assets, while the investigation will determine the extent of the suspects’ alleged involvement and any further action required under the law.