Suspected Vandal Electrocuted While Stealing Transformer Cables
The incident occurred at the Abayi-Ogbuligba Junction in Osisioma local government area.
According to Edise Ekong, the Communication Manager of Aba Power, in a statement on Monday, the young man’s actions were thwarted by community leaders and members who noticed his suspicious movements and alerted the police and security staff.
He said Nwadinma was electrocuted while trying to escape.
“It is regrettable that the young man, Obioma Joseph Nwadinma, in his 20s and an indigene from a nearby community, lost his life in an ignominious manner, thereby bringing shame to his family, community and friends,” he said.
Ekong commended the community’s efforts in protecting the electricity infrastructure, describing their actions as commendable in preventing vandalism in two local government areas.
He also reported that another individual, Isaac Ude, was caught tampering with prepaid meters in Aba North LGA and was apprehended by the police and Aba Power security team.
“These two related incidents, among others,” said Ekong, “show that communities, businesses, and individuals in our coverage area are fast developing the owner’s mindset, that is, they recognize that the electricity infrastructure in their places is their own asset which has to be protected by all means for the benefit of all.”
He described the development as a deviation from the traditional stance of the Nigerian people who would see critical infrastructural facilities like power facilities, telecommunication cables, rail track slippers and petroleum pipelines being vandalised and raise an alarm.
Ekong expressed optimism that “as natural gas supply to our 188-megawatt General Electric plant is expected to resume soon, after the unknown last weekend and pipelines supplying gas to the plant, our electricity supply to customers will become more constant, resulting in the people getting more enthusiastic about cooperating with Aba Power to protect their property”.
“We are immensely grateful to the communities in our franchise area for their understanding and support, which we will never take for granted.
“We implored them to continue to be vigilant and alert security agencies and Aba Power of any suspicious movements around the electric power infrastructure where they live or work,” the statement noted.
