The police said four other suspects were arrested for a separate crime.

The police in Rivers State have arrested a suspect accused of vandalising and stealing equipment from an Airtel Telecommunication Company facility in Port Harcourt.

Grace Iringe-Koko, the police spokesperson in Rivers, told journalists on Monday that the police operatives arrested the suspected vandal during a stop-and-search operation.

"The male suspect was apprehended by officers from Rumuji Division around 1 a.m. on Saturday while driving a black Toyota Sienna vehicle along the East-West Road.

"During the search of the vehicle, officers discovered 2,000 tons of 48 Volts Direct Current Power System Cabinets, which were identified as the property of Airtel Telecommunications Company," Mrs Iringe-Koko, a superintendent of police, said.

She added that the suspect was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation or documentation for transporting the equipment.

"We suspect that the equipment was stolen.

"Both the suspect and the recovered exhibits are now in our custody while the investigation is ongoing," she added.

In a separate development, Mrs Iringe-Koko confirmed the arrest of four male suspects linked to criminal activities in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers.

She disclosed that police operatives discovered a round of 7.62 by 51mm live ammunition and containers filled with liquid substances suspected to be hard drugs during a raid on their hideout.

"The suspects were apprehended by operatives of the Police Hawk Unit during a targeted raid at Blessing Street, Koko-Kom in Oyigbo LGA," Mrs Iringe-Koko stated.

According to the police spokesperson, the suspects admitted during interrogation to being members of a criminal syndicate responsible for various acts of terror in the area.

"They are currently providing valuable information about their criminal activities, and efforts are underway to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate as well as recover additional weapons," the spokesperson said.

(NAN)