Metro

Danger As Bandits Vandalise Makurdi Power Pylon

Published

2 years ago

September 1, 2023

A sight of a dangling tower, one of which carries the 33 KV transmission line of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company, JED, to Makurdi from its transmission hub in Apir, sends instant fears to the beholder.

The reason is not far-fetched; the implication of having the tower crash down when the lines are energised is better imagined.

The death toll and properties that could go up in flames might be beyond comprehension. But this scary consequence was certainly not taken into account by the vandals who tampered with four of the 33KV towers in the Genabe axis on the outskirts of Makurdi town, positioned directly opposite Makurdi Correctional Centre and near the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, LBRBDA, Headquarters in Makurdi.

One of the towers that has remained energised is almost collapsing as parts of the angle bars used to fortify its base have all been removed by vandals.

The gigantic tower was left dangling to the point of collapsing on the busy Makurdi-Aliade road in what looked like a devastating disaster waiting to happen. Findings indicated that the vandals also tampered with three other towers on that stretch, leaving them at the mercy of strong winds that could easily get them crashing down.

While no Genabe community member was ready to speak on how such a very important installation was vandalised by criminals, it is generally agreed by all those who expressed shock at the level of destruction of the towers that it could not have been done by people from outside.

That much was said by Mr. James Luger, a commercial bus driver who claimed that he plies the road on a regular basis. He said, “Those who did this couldn’t have come from outside; this immediate community should be held responsible for this act. How can anyone in his right senses decide to vandalise a tower like this? Maybe they do not know that if these towers come down today, several people who live around them might not survive it. The community must take steps to ensure that those behind this are arrested and handed over to the police because they are loosening the towers to sell the metals to buyers of scrap metal and, by so doing, endangering the lives of hundreds of people, including those locked up at the Correctional Services. Luckily, the JED officials have come to take urgent steps to save the towers from collapsing, but the community people must show responsibility by ensuring that they preserve their lives and property by being vigilant to arrest the vandals who, for the peanuts they sell scrap metal for, want to wipe out the community.”

On his part, the Managing Director of JED, Engr. Abdu Bello Mohammed, who led a team from Jos to assess the damage done to the important power installations, expressed shock at the state of the towers after being tampered with by criminals. Mohammed who spoke on the importance of the towers to the residents of Makurdi town and the dangers of having them vandalised to the point of having them crash down, described the installation as a double-circuit 33KV tower. He said: “One is feeding GRA, Wadata/town, Wurukum, and High Level. And the second is feeding the entire North Bank area of Makurdi town up to Gbajimba in Guma Local Government Area, LGA. Then the Industrial Layout and Ankpa Quarters axis. Four of the towers were vandalised, and one is already twisted. If the affected towers come down, two-thirds of Makurdi town will be in darkness. Besides, if the towers come down while energised, anyone who comes in contact with them and the lines will be killed on the spot. In fact, everyone living in this neighbourhood will be endangered, as will road users and travellers on the Makurdi-Aliade road.

“I had to come here to see things for myself because these towers are very important to us as a company and our consumers as well. It carries two circuits of 33 KV lines, and if it collapses, that means the two circuits will be out of supply. And you can imagine the number of customers that will be out. What happened here is a case of vandalism. I initially thought it was a natural occurrence, but when I came here, I discovered it was an act of vandalism, which is most unfortunate. We also discovered that, apart from this one that is almost coming down, some others have been tampered with. So we are going to inspect the entire route length of this 33KV feeder to make sure that the tower members are returned to their normal positions so that there won’t be any twists like this again.

“In view of what happened here, my advice to the communities where we have our towers is that they should take ownership of the infrastructure. If the lines go out, they will be the first to be impacted. Apart from endangering their lives, they will not enjoy supply, and economic activities in the community will be badly affected. Imagine that there is no power supply and the tower falls on individuals, cars, or buildings; the damage will be great. Then, if it has power and falls, the consequences can only be imagined. That is one more reason why this must not be allowed to continue. The vandals targeting these installations must be stopped on their tracks because they are exposing innocent Nigerians to danger.”

Metro

Alleged Organ Harvesting: Bereaved Families Rush To Check Corpses

Published

1 day ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

Families who deposited their deceased relations at the Aigbe Mortuary, Akugbe Street, off Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City, have since Monday been besieging the facility to ascertain the condition of their loved ones.

This followed the discovery of an alleged case of organ harvesting at the mortuary.

A mortuary attendant was arrested by operatives of the Edo State Police Command as a result of the incident.

A visit to the hospital, which operates the mortuary and serves the densely populated Upper Sakponba area, revealed that some family members were present to check the condition of the corpses they deposited, while others made frantic efforts to transfer their deceased relatives to other mortuaries.

Osariemen Desmond who happens to be one of the persons who were at mortuary said his late mother’s corpse was deposited at the mortuary, adding that he was there to ensure nothing had happened to her remains, as the family plans to bury her next year.

“I am here because of the story we heard about organ harvesting last Friday. I just want to be sure that my mother’s corpse is safe. Many people have been coming since Monday to transfer the corpses of their deceased family members to other mortuaries, while others just came to be sure that nothing has happened to the corpses they deposited. But for me, I am here to be sure that my mum’s corpse is intact,” he said.

However, a member of staff of the hospital, who declined to have his name in print, said the mortuary had never been involved in organ harvesting.

He explained that the deceased whose corpse was allegedly tampered with had died as a result of poisoning, which may have affected his internal organs.

“There is nothing like organ harvesting here. The man in question died from poisoning, and that may have affected his internal organs,” he said.

However, the Edo State Police Command, in a statement released by its Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, said the Command had launched an investigation into the matter and would ensure that anyone found guilty faces the full weight of the law.

She said: “The Edo State Police Command has launched an intensive and far-reaching investigation into a disturbing allegation of unlawful tampering with a human corpse and theft of human parts at Akugbe Mortuary, located along Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City—an incident that sparked public outrage and nearly culminated in mob violence.

“On December 12, 2025, the Command received an urgent distress call indicating that a mortuary attendant was on the verge of being lynched by an irate crowd over allegations of organ harvesting. Acting with swift precision, the Divisional Police Officer, Ugbekun Division, immediately mobilised operatives to the scene and successfully rescued the suspect, thereby averting a breakdown of law and order.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that one Marvelous Odeh and others had visited the mortuary to claim the corpse of the late Uyi Enogieru for burial. However, upon completion of the required formalities, it was discovered that the corpse had been unlawfully interfered with and that some body parts were missing, prompting a report to the Police.

“The suspect has since been taken into custody and, on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, CP Monday Agbonika, fdc, the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a thorough, professional, and discreet investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.”

Metro

Suspected Kidnappers Abduct 18 Passengers On Benin-Akure Road

Published

4 days ago

December 15, 2025

Editor

Kidnappers have abducted 18 passengers along the Benin-Akure highway, near Obarenren village, Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The kidnappers were said to have fired sporadically before taking their victims into the bush.

Edo State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the incident in Benin on Monday.

Ikoedem, while stating that a joint security operation had launched a manhunt for the abductors, added that a “massive bush combing led to the rescue of 11 victims.”

The PPRO, who said efforts were on to rescue other victims, noted: “The incident happened last Saturday. The passengers were in a 18-seater Big Joe bus. We have been combing the bush in collaboration with the Nigerian Army.

“No Arrest has been made yet.”

Metro

NDLEA Seizes 457kg of Cannabis, Arrests Suspected Trafficker In Edo

Published

4 days ago

December 15, 2025

Editor

Photo: file copy

Operatives the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, have arrested a 44-year-old suspected drug trafficker, Ohiomah Igbafe, at Uroe community in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The command also seized 457 kilograms of skunk cannabis concealed at the suspect’s hideout
in the operation that took place on December 9, 2025,

The State Commander of the anti-narcotic agency, Mitchell Ofoyeju, who disclosed this in a press statement said: “The suspect was found in possession of 15 bags of cannabis sativa weighing a total of 457 kilograms, in addition to a separate sack containing four kilograms of cannabis seeds.”

He described the arrest as a significant milestone in the agency’s ongoing campaign against drug trafficking in the state.

He said: “The operation reflects our undying commitment to the eradication of drug trafficking within Edo State. The quantity of illegal drugs seized in this raid represents a serious threat to public health and safety. This level of success encourages us to continue to confront drug cartels relentlessly.”

He added that the agency would not relent in its efforts to dismantle criminal drug networks, warning that offenders would be pursued without mercy.

“We want to send a clear message that drug traffickers and their collaborators have no safe harbour in Edo State.”