Description

Eight people including two community Chiefs have been arrested by the Police for stealing building materials from the site of the Cross River State Social Housing project in the Obanliku Local Government Area.

The items were reportedly stolen from the project site at Akor Ayapeni near Becheve, home of the Obudu Mountain Resort; they include roofing sheets, tiles, wood, and cement.

The two Chiefs arrested are Elder CK Undo and Chief Benedict Okumo a.k.a Randy Ben. Both are from the community.

Other suspects include Mr. Esalo Fedinand Anya, a Liaison Officer at the Mountain Resort and five other unnamed persons.

A source aware of the incident also disclosed that “the eight have been granted bail at the Police, Obudu division.”

This is the second time in two months that people have been arrested for looting building materials at State-owned project sites in Northern Cross River.

In March, two Policemen and others were arrested for carting away tiles from the Canadian University Obudu.

Aside from a press release by the Cross River Police Command acknowledging the arrest of two Police officers, nothing has been said about the investigations and possible prosecution so far.

When the material gets stolen at project sites, it increases the procurement costs and delivery schedules of the affected projects.