NSCDC Parades ex-NITEL boss, 11 others over illegal sale of equipment in Kwara

Kwara State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has paraded a 62-year-old former territorial manager  of NITEL communication, Benedict Uwulekhue, alongside his 11 accomplices on allegation of vandalism, criminal conspiracy and illegal sale of equipment of  NITEL telecommunication company.

Speaking while parading the suspects, the state commandant of  NSCDC, Pedro Ideba, said two of the accomplices of the former NITEL manager, allegedly offered N140, 000 bribe to NSCDC men to stop criminal investigation of their  alleged offences.

The commandant, who said some of the equipment allegedly sold to two suspected buyers in  Ilorin metropolis include, vandalised high tension cables, electricity transformer and containerised transmitter belonging to  NITEL company.

He recalled that the defunct NITEL company in the state capital still had some telecommunication equipment in its premises,  adding  that the arrested suspects include three security men on guard at the company.

The NSCDC boss, who said the buyers of the NITEL equipment could not produce document to authenticate ownership of the items, added that it was during further investigation into one of the buyers’ house that two industrial  electricity generating plants belonging to government were discovered.

He also said that the security men attached to NITEL premises had confessed to the crime, adding that all the items had been moved to the command’s headquarters and that  all the accused persons would be arraigned in court after conclusion of investigation.

Speaking with journalists, the former NITEL territorial manager said that he decided to move out the equipment from NITEL premises for safekeeping when he was pressurised by many prospective buyers of the equipment.

The man, who said he was innocent of his actions, added that he did it in good faith.

Also speaking, the two suspected buyers of NITEL equipment, Ugwuma Marcelius and Chukwudi Mba, identified as auto electrical dealers, said that they bought the items from auction sale organised by NATCOM in April 2016, adding that they had documents.

They said they bought the industrial electricity generator at N650, 000 each and the containerised NITEL transmitter and high tension cables at N700, 000.