*Suspects offered ₦800k bribe to Police.
*Kaduna Electric described vandalism as act of economic sabotage, calls for stiff penalty
By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Sokoto State Police Command have arrested seven persons in Bodinga Local Government Area with power supply equipment suspected to have been stolen from the network of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company.
A statement by the Head, Corporate Communication Department of Kaduna Electric, AbdulAzeez Abdullahi quoted the Police Public Relations Officer, Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Sanusi Abubakar as saying that a team of Police detectives attached to Bodinga Police Division on 13th May, 2023 apprehended four suspected vandals; Rabi’u Bala, Shafi’u Namadi, Laminu Salisu and Muhammad Rabi’u with copper wire reasonably suspected to have been stolen from an electricity distribution transformer.
The statement further revealed that in the course of Police investigation, the suspects have all confessed that they conspired among themselves and with one Habibu Namadi currently at large and vandalised the electricity distribution transformer located at Kauran Modi area of Bodinga town and remove the transformer coil and other accessories, all belonging to Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, with the intent to selling same to one Ibrahim Usman of Jega Local Government in Kebbi State.
In a related development, a Police Team in the State on 17th May, 2023 intercepted a Sharon vehicle with registration number KSF 356 Lagos loaded with twelve rolls of alluminium conductor along Sanyinna-Birnin Kebbi road.
The three suspected vandals arrested in the vehicle, Rufa’i Sani, Amadu Bello and Shafi’u Abubakar offered the Police patrol team ₦800,000:00 bribe so as to let off the hook.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects specialise in vandalising high voltage power lines especially in rural areas and have in several occasions vandalised the Yabo- Sanyinna 33KV lines in Sokoto State.
Mr. AbdulAzeez Abdullahi described vandalism of power supply infrastructure as “an unpatriotic act of economic sabotage” and called for stiff penalty against the culprits.
He commended the men of Sokoto State Police Command for ensuring that the criminals are apprehended.
All the suspects are currently cooling their feet in the State Criminal Investigation Department from where they will be arraigned in court to answer for their crimes.
