The Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting on Monday directed the Attorney General of the Federation to strengthen legislations that will criminalise usurpers of government assets under the cover of night in the country.
This, according to the Council, is aimed at mitigating the unwholesome activities of scrap metal vendors, miners, cart pushers, among others, who indulge in the stealing of critical government assets.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who briefed newsmen after the closed-door meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu, said the Council expressed concern over the development, hence the decision to criminalise the activity.
“There’s also a conversation, I mean, a discussion around some scrap metal vendors, or miners, or whatever you call them. We have seen an increased activity among people who unscrupulously go to steal some of these government assets on the road, by the bridges, and other critical metals that they take to go and sell.
“The federal government is already mulling the possibility of criminalizing this. Of course, we already have some of these laws in existence, but we are looking at them in depth.
“The Attorney General of the Federation has been directed to look at that. There’s an increased activity, you know, that government has noted where people go, especially under the cover of night.
“They will remove some of these government assets—iron, metals, and scraps—and then go to sell them to other individuals who in turn recycle them and bring them back to the market.
“Government feels very much concerned and is taking a closer look at how this can be mitigated going forward.”
