Power Sub-station Vandal Arrested

Power Sub-station Vandal Arrested

Osita Anazodo, a 32 year-old electrician who hails from Akuiro, Okpuno, Anambra State, attacked a 300KVA distribution sub-station belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Plc (EEDC), located at Ugwuagulu Obiofia, Ozubulu, Anambra State.

But a statement revealed that luck however ran out on him as an eye witness who saw him leave the scene on a motorcycle with the vandalised armoured cables placed on the fuel tank reported the incident to the leadership of the local vigilante, who immediately reinforced with youths of the community and went in search of him.

He was eventually apprehended and he led the team to the spot where he had buried the vandalised cables in wait for market to reopen so that he can hand the items over to his buyer.
The local vigilante group subsequently took him to the palace of the traditional ruler of the community from where he was handed over to men of the Special Investigation and Prosecution Taskforce on Electricity Offences (SIPTEO) for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The statement said it was gathered from members of the community that the attack by Anazodo, was the very fourth on the transformer. They equally pointed accusing finger at Osita, claiming he was the one masterminding most of the vandalism experienced in the community.

In a related development, Solomon Nwafor, a native of Ikwo in Ebonyi State was recently arrested for vandalizing Water Board distribution substation, located at Victory Estate, Emene, Enugu State. In the course of interrogation, the suspect named the buyer of the vandalised items as one Kenneth Agusi who operates at the Tinker Market, Coal Camp, Enugu. Kenneth was immediately arrested by the Police.

Also, in Ojoto, Anambra State, members of the Vigilante group arrested a vandal identified as Chinedu Ejikeme for vandalizing injection substation which is an NIPP project, located at Mmiri Ojoto area. In the course of interrogation, he confessed to be responsible for the vandalized 200KVA transformer, property of EEDC, located at Iruebenebe Community, Ojoto.

The Head, Communication of EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, said EEDC has gone a step further in apprehending the buyers of these vandalised items, because it is believed that that is the motivation the vandals have. “If there is no one buying the items, there won’t be that motivation for the vandals to engage in this act.”

“Last year, two buyers were sentenced to prison and we are hopeful that after the due process of law, these ones apprehended will serve their term in prison. We will not relent in this struggle, and hope that this serves as deterrent to many others that are engaging in such criminal activities.

“It is worrisome that while EEDC is striving to improve on its service delivery, some individuals that ordinarily should have been engaging in more productive activities resort to frustrating both the company and its customers. This singular act costs EEDC a lot financially, and ends up subjecting our customers to a lot of inconveniences.

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