The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Anambra State Command, has arrested a syndicate of four persons who allegedly specialises in the vandalisation of armoured cables and other electrical installations around the Awka metropolis.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Okadigbo Edwin, on behalf of the commandant, Edwin Osuala, on Friday.
Parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Awka on Friday, Osuala said the arrest followed credible information received from a concerned citizen who saw a group of persons evacuating armoured cables from an electrical installation in Awka.
He said, “At about 06:30 hours on Monday, November 4, 2023, the command received a distress call of some group of persons vandalising armoured cable behind Dr Alex Ekwueme Square Awka.
“Upon receiving the information, operatives of the command swung into action and arrested the following four suspects with bundles of vandalised armoured electric cable; Monday Chukwu ‘m’ aged 37, of Ntezi Ebonyi State, Okwudiri Nnaji ‘m’ aged 29 of Idodo Nkanu East Enugu State, Agu Ikechukwu ‘m’ aged 20 from Ehamufu Isiuzo LGA Enugu State, and Chinecherem Idoho ‘m’ from Uboloafor Udenu LGA Enugu State.
“When interrogated, all the suspects confessed to the commission of the crime and mentioned one KC ‘m’ now at large, as their accomplice.”
The state commandant said preliminary investigation revealed that the armoured cables are part of the 33KV dedicated Airport Feeder from Awka substation that supplies power to Anambra International Cargo Airport Umuleri.
“The suspects admitted to using a handsaw and cutter to severe and strip the electric cables before selling the items as scrap,” Osuala added.
