Operatives of the Abia State Police Command have arrested a gang of suspected vandals of electrical installations and the sub-station of the Enugu Electrical Distribution Company within Aba, the commercial hub of the State.
The suspects, who were arrested following a tip-off from the members of the public are Chukwudi David, Onyekachi Nwogu , John Okafor, Nnaemeka Akadionye and Ucheoma Oluma.
The Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr. Adeleye Oyebade, who paraded the suspects at the command headquarters in Umuahia, said the suspects were arrested along with two buyers of the stolen cables.
Oyabade regretted that some criminals operating in the state were sabotaging the efforts the EEDC to provide steady power supply to industries and artisans in Aba, adding that police officers in the state will combat them and ensure that the state will not be conducive for them to operate anymore.
He stated that the suspects have confessed to the crime and will be arraigned in court.
While answering questions from journalists, Nwogu, who said he was a taxi driver, admitted to be a member of the criminal gang, added that he was introduced to the crime by his friend, David.
He said, “I joined the vandals out of frustration. I am married with one child and we have been passing through hard times because my taxi broke down and I was looking for how to put it on the road again.”
Another member of the gang, Okafor, who claimed to be a poultry farmer based in Abuja, accused Nwogu of dragging him into the matter.
According to him, “My car had an accident in February when I came to Aba. So, I stayed back to work as bus conductor to raise money to fix it; that was how I met Nwogu and we became friends.
“One night around 2am, he asked me to accompany him somewhere and I followed him. When we got to the street, he entered one house and brought out some copper wire.
“On the second day, he took me to a transformer to cut the wire and in the process, the transformer blew up, that was how I discovered what he was into.
“After that, I told another friend what happened and he suggested that we should report the matter to local vigilante group in town. It was in the process that we were arrested.”
The suspects all regretted their actions and claimed they would not go back to crime again if they get bail.
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