A suspected vandal identified as Solomon Igwe, was arrested over the weekend by Security Guards operating at Thinkers Corner area of Enugu, Enugu State, for vandalizing a transformer, property of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC).
The suspect, in company of two of his gang members who are currently at large, vandalized the Thinkers Guest House transformer located at Thinkers Corner, Enugu, and drained the transformer oil. Their tools and jerricans were recovered at the scene.
Solomon gave the names of his fleeing gang members as Sunday and Onyema, while he named one Onyedia Obasi, alias Bishop, as their master.
The Head of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, who made this known on Wednesday, in Enugu, confirmed that the apprehended suspect has been handed over to the Police Area Command, Enugu, for further investigation and possible prosecution, while the fleeing gang members are being trailed by the Police.
This arrest is coming just few weeks after the distribution company lamented the increasing rate at which electricity installations within its network are being attacked by vandals and called for customers to be more vigilant.
The company had said that the company records cases of vandalized substations almost on a daily basis, most of which have been vandalized multiple times, leaving the company in perpetual replacement of vandalized parts of these equipment.
It went further to disclose that vandals have taken advantage of the poor power generation experienced across the sector, which has impacted the daily energy allocation to the company, and its supply availability to customers.
While commending the effort of the Security Guards in apprehending the suspect, EEDC calls on its customers to be more vigilant in ensuring that electricity installations sited within their neighborhoods are protected against attacks by these criminal elements in the society, and save themselves the stress of being out of power supply.
The company’s spokesman said that the organization has committed millions of Naira restoring vandalized installations, a situation he described as no longer sustainable, especially considering its current financial position.