Abdul Ali, a 33 year old young man from Adamawa State was last week sentenced to three years imprisonment by Ahizechukwu D. O at the Magistrate Court of Orsu Magisterial District Holden at Awo Idemili for vandalizing a 300KVA Distribution Substation belonging to Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) at Ekeututu in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State.
Loading ...He was arrested by members of a vigilante group for removing four intermediate cables and one upriser cable from the Ekeututu Distribution Substation He however confessed to have carried out the clandestine act with an accomplice identified as Boniface, who is currently on the run. He pleaded guilty to the two count charge of stealing and other offences and has been taken to Owerri Prisons where he will serve his term which will run concurrently.
In a related development, one Tochukwu Onwe was apprehended by members of a vigilante group at Amuda Community in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State for vandalizing Nwankwo Elom Distribution Substation property of EEDC located along Enugu-Abakaliki Road. Tochukwu who was immediately handed over to the Nigerian Police State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Abakaliki for further investigation and possible prosecution vandalised all components of the Feeder Pillar, and 300mm 2 x 4 core of incomer cables measuring about six meters.
Also at Amachalla Avuvu, Ikeduru, Imo State, men of the Nigerian Police arrested three young men identified as Uchenna Opara, Kenneth Ukachi and Chinedu Ukadiala for destroying EEDC cable lines at Amachalla Avuvu Ikeduru Local Government Area, Imo State. They are currently undergoing interrogation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Police Headquarters, Owerri.
It will be recalled that just last month over eighteen vandals were apprehended by various vigilante groups and Mr. Onuorah Godswill, a native of Okoko Item in Bende Local Government Area was sentenced to three years imprisonment by His Worship, Orgmore Ebubedike Kalu at the Chief Magistrate Court Bende, Abia State for vandalizing bare conductor wire, property of EEDC located along veterinary road, Okoko Item in Bende, Abia State.
It is important to state that no enterprise can survive with the high rate of attack on electricity installations across the network, as resources meant for other services that will benefit customers are used to replace vandalised items, this is not sustainable.
While commending the various Vigilante groups, Civil Defence Corps, the Army and the Nigerian Police for their efforts in ensuring that these vandals are apprehended and prosecuted, we still call on our customers to join hands with EEDC and assist in protecting these installations within their neighborhood, as they will be inconvenienced once they are vandalised.
We are however not relenting in our commitment towards fighting vandalism; and we continue to count on the support of our customers as well as other well meaning citizens in fighting this menace.
