Six Suspected Electricity Transformer Vandals Arrested In Yobe

The Yobe State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has reported the arrest of six individuals suspected of vandalizing transformers and power substations in Damaturu.

Mr Adamu Zakari, State Commandant of NSCDC stated this while parading the suspects in Damaturu on Wednesday.

“On April 14, at about 6:00 a.m., NSCDC operatives arrested 18 year-old Adamu Abdullahi and 19 year-old Isa Umar for allegedly vandalising armoured cables behind the Yobe State Secretariat Complex in Damaturu,” Zakari said.

He said that a resident of Waziri Ibrahim Estate had raised an alarm which led to the arrest of the suspects.

The commandant said investigation revealed that the vandalised armoured cable recovered from the suspects is about 20 metres of 50milimetre pure copper single core cable, valued at about N1.2 million.

He said further investigation also linked three other suspects to the vandalisation and theft of the cables.

According to Zakari, the suspects confessed to have committed the offence and are cooperating with the investigation team.

He added that the suspects voluntarily admitted that they had vandalised several transformers within Damaturu metropolis.

Zakari said that on April 6, the residents of Nayi Nawa Tsallake also in Damaturu had apprehended and handed over to the command, one Umar Mustapha,34, for allegedly vandalising a power substation.

According to him, items recovered from the suspects included a ladder, safety helmet, plier, a pair of safety hand gloves, safety waist belt, with lanyard, safety booth, and fake identity cards among others.

He said investigations revealed that some of the suspects were former ad hoc employees of Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC), who were laid off by the company.

The commandant said the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigations.