The police in Lagos have arrested a NITEL Manager and 16 others for allegedly stealing NITEL cables worth N50 million from its warehouse in Victoria Island, Lagos.

A very reliable source at Victoria Island Police Station, who disclosed this on Monday to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that the suspects were arrested at about 12:30a.m. on Sunday at NITEL Warehouse, Saka Tinubu, Victoria Island, Lagos.

"We have been on surveillance for about two months for the suspects-- after we got intelligence report about their activities.

"The ring leader, one Safui, had promised one of the police officers in the station N2 million, so as to assist them to steal the cables.

"Some officers were posted to keep watch over the facilities.

"They (suspects) came in with a disguised truck, with NITEL stickers, so as to suggest that they were NITEL staff.

"They were about driving out when our men swooped on them. A NITEL Warehouse Manager, one other NITEL staff and 15 others, were arrested on the spot.

"The truck and the cables are currently kept at the police station," the source told NAN.

The police source said that the suspects attempted to bribe the police officers with N700,000, after their arrest.

"The suspected ring -leader also threatened to use his influence to post the officers from the station to other areas if they did not co-operate with him," the source added. (NAN)