…Police, private security, ministry staff trade blames

Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

Robbers on Wednesday night vandalized three generating sets supplying power to the indoor sports halls at the Package B of the Abuja National Stadium.

The incident paralyzed activities at the ongoing 20th edition of the Milo Basketball Schools competition, forcing them to prosecute the semifinal games at the outdoor basketball court.

Interestingly, while the police personnel in charge of the stadium blamed the incident on the private security outfit, the Nigerian Legion; the staff of the legion fingered the staff of the ministry, insisting that the keys to the Lister generators were not tampered with.

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Confirming the robbery, a ministry staff and one of the stadium managers, who pleaded anonymity said the automatic changeover generator was used during the day on Wednesday before they were tampered with at night.

“I can confirm to you that the Lister generators were vandalized on Wednesday night. We reported to the office on Thursday morning to notice the generators have been vandalized. I think that the Legion should be in the best position to explain what happened because we are all at home when it happened.”

Explaining its own side of the incidence, the OC stadium, who spoke off record said the police personnel are inadequate at the stadium, adding that while the police manning the complex are only three, the Nigerian Legion has over 50 staff strength.

Reacting to the incident, a staff of the Nigerian Legion, who spoke in confidence said that as far as he was concerned, nothing was vandalized because the keys to the generators were not tampered with.