Three persons who vandalised armoured cables worth N77,000 from a transformer at Ndon Ebom and Ekpene Ukim in Uruan Local Government Area arrested by Akwa Ibom Police Command have been remanded in prison custody.
DSP Bala Elkana, the state Police Public Relations Officer, stated that the suspects identified as Victor Okon, ‘m’; Nsidibe Effiong, ‘m’ and Abdullahi Musa, ‘m’, were arrested following sustained intelligence surveillance by the operatives of the Nigeria Police.
Elkana remarked that the first two suspects who specialise in vandalising and stealing armoured cables from transformers sold the stolen cables to the third suspect, Musa seen as habitual receiver of stolen property.
He pointed out that the three suspects, who had owned up to the crime, had been arraigned in court and remanded in prison custody.
“Following a sustained intelligence surveillance, operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command arrested a syndicate involved in vandalising armoured cables from transformers at Ndon Ebom and Ekpene Ukim along Airport Road, Uruan LGA.”, PPRO said.
Meanwhile, a 21-year-old man who specialized in removing solar-powered batteries from government-installed street lighting in Afaha Offiong, headquarters of Nsit Ibom Local Government Area has been arrested by Akwa Ibom Police Command.
The police arrested one Jonathan Bassey, an indigene of Afaha in Eket Local Government Area, for allegedly stealing four solar power batteries at about 03:15 hours on Saturday.
Elkana said the suspect, who specialises in power solar batteries removal, had also been involved in solar batteries theft in Ibesikpo and Eket council areas, noting that the solar batteries removed along Grace Bill Road and its adjoining streets in Eket had been traced to the suspect.
He said that Bassey has confessed to committing the crime, stating “We have arrested a notorious solar battery thief, one Jonathan Bassey, 21, ‘m’ from Afaha, Eket LGA today (Sunday) at about 03:15 hours.
“He was arrested with four solar batteries allegedly removed from government installed street lights at Afaha Offiong.
Elkana said that the police have begun investigation into the issue, adding that the suspect will be charged to court once investigation was concluded.
