From Attah Ede, Makurdi

A middle-aged man yet to be identified was in the early hours of yesterday electrocuted while vandalising a Jos Electricity Distribution Company, JED electricity transformer and cables located opposite Queens Hotel, Ankpa ward in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

The vandal was found dead and his lifeless body seen in between the two poles connecting the cables to the transformer mounted close to the main road.

Our correspondent who visited the scene of the incident gathered from one of the eyewitnesses that the vandal had gone to the transformer at about 3-4am of Tuesday and succeeded in using his pliers to cut off the cables from the transformer.

It was further gathered that while the victim was rolling the cables from the transformer stand before climbing the poles to finally pull out the wires, suddenly power supply was restored.

According to one of the eyewitnesses who resided in the area and identified himself as Timothy Ejeh, the victim took advantage of non-availability of power supply to the area since last Sunday Night.

Ejeh explained that the unknown vandal had already vandalised the transformer and the armoured cables that linked to the two poles before he met his waterloo.

“We woke up this morning at about 5am and we discovered that there was electricity supply in and around some residences and streets close to our area but not sharing the same transformer with us.

“So, a few of our neighbours decided to go towards our transformer to check if the fault is from the transformer, On getting to the site, we saw that all the armoured cables and other installations had been removed from the transformer. As we moved forward, we saw someone lying lifelessly.

“We immediately drew the attention of policemen at the “D” Division police station. They have come to evacuate the dead body”, Ejeh explained.

He warned people especially youths in the State to desist from nefarious acts and engage in meaningful ventures that would add value to their lives rather than be taken into criminality that could cause their instant death.

When contacted, the Head, Corporate Communications, JED, Dr. Adakole Elijah who confirmed the incident, said that a vandal found electrocuted at the early hours of this morning at DMTV Substation, Naka road, Makurdi.

He lamented that this is the second time in the last 20 to 30 days that vandals have been electrocuted in Makurdi, stating that the activities of vandals have become a thorn in the fresh of the company’s body.

Adakole said despite that the company has devised a means to ensure that some of these assets are protected; vandals have to continue to sabotage efforts of the company.

He said it has become practically impossible for the company to single handedly take responsibility for protecting these assets alone.

“That is why we are advising and pleading with communities to take ownership of electricity facilities in their domains because at the end of the day it is them that the facility is serving.

“You will realise that each time they vandalise our facility, we spend lots of money to restore services and they go back to vandalise again.

“Yes the assets belong to the company but the communities are the end users. Once these facilities are vandalised, the communities stand at risk in terms of security, social and economic gains. So, we keep on pleading with people especially community policing, vigilantes to assist in safeguarding the assets.

“As you can see, the vandal obviously came to vandalise the facility including the cables and other accessories then in the process there was restoration of power supply which led to the victim being electrocuted.

“So we are escalating the matter to the security agencies and other relevant authorities so that we can evacuate and then continue with our normal stable power supply in the area. You know that power is more stable than before.

“Improvement on power supply especially within Makurdi, the Benue State capital within this period has been tremendous”, Adakole stated.

He advised people against going close to electricity installations and urged them to report any suspicious activity in and around transformers to security agencies for possible arrest.

“If you see anybody going towards electricity installations either a transformer or cables trying to remove or install anything, ensure that you have pertinent questions. If you are not too sure, you have a right to arrest that person and hand him or her to the nearest police station. Even if the person is claiming to be a staff member, ask for his identification card”, the Head, Corporate Communications, JED advised.

The Benue State command Police Public Relations Officer SP Catherine Anene, when contacted, said that the incident was reported to police.

“I’m aware that someone was electrocuted in Wadata where he went to vandalise a transformer. I got a report like that”, Anene stated.