The Niger State Government on Tuesday said it has placed surveillance systems to arrest pipeline vandals and illegal water operators so as to attain its mandate of ensuring adequate supply of potable water across the state.
The Commissioner of Water Resources and Dams Development, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, while making this known, said the acts of vandalism and illegal water operations have led to the loss of large volume of treated water produced for public usage.
Suleiman said: “The act of tampering, illegal connection and vandalizing of water pipeline have continued to be an impediment to the State Water Board and as a result we have intensified surveillance to ensure such practices are prevented and stopped.
“Anybody caught will be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“We have ordered the arrest of one Jamilu Dahiru, who was caught in the act, for prosecution by the police.
“While we were on this surveillance exercise, we apprehended a group of young men who are involved in this practice and were using the water for commercial purposes along the Western Bypass, Minna.
“Others escaped but we arrested one of them.
“Such acts contribute to the loss of large volume of treated water produced for public well-being using equipments and chemicals, which were purchased with huge resources provided by the Niger State Government.
“These acts could also lead to contamination of the water and loss of revenue to the organisation.”
Suleiman warned that anybody who is involved in the such practices should desist henceforth as anyone caught will not be spared.
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