Metro

Electric Cable Thief Meets Waterloo In Akwa Ibom, Electrocuted

Published

3 years ago

August 18, 2021

Our Reporter

An electric cable thief in Ikot Ekpene, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State ran out of luck on Wednesday as he was electrocuted while trying to thief cable belonging to Port Harcourt Electricity Distributing Company (PHED).

Eye witness account has it that the vandal met his waterloo in the early hours of today, Wednesday while trying to disconnect light from the high tension wire along old Itu Road in Ikot Ekpene, Ikot Ekpene local government area of the state.

The culprit, whose lifeless body after being trapped, was seen early in the morning by the residents of the area was alleged to be one the syndicates whose stalk in trade is to vandalize public utility cables (electrical installations) and sell to their ready buyers.

Their activities, an eyewitness said have been one of the reasons of frequent power outage in the area, inspite of the state government efforts to ensure power for all.

Narrating the problem the area was made to go through as a result of the activities of these electrical installation vandals, one Ime Samuel, a resident of the area said, “Our light has not been stable, and each time we took complaints to them, they would blame cable thieves and asked us to contribute money for it to be fixed”.

“Nine days for the thief and one day for the owner. Good for the man on his way to hell”, Aniefiok Sunday, a beer pub owner exclaimed, lamenting that “sometimes for months there won’t be light and, and because there is power to chill our drinks, patronage is always low. People would prefer to go to the nearby Ikot Ekpene town to enjoy their cash”.

It was learnt that the syndicates from the neighbouring Aba, Abia State, work in collaboration with Akwa Ibom collaborators, to commit the crime.

“The always come from Aba in Abia state, using our local collaborators here to vandalize underground cables and other electricity installations. Because of this, we made efforts to form vigilante group, but we discovered the vandalization continues due to some informants among them”, Enobong Ekanem, a member of the local youths’ group recalled.

Though was yet to come up with official statement on the incident as at the time of filing this report, it was learnt that the lifeless body the thief has been taken away by the police from Ikot Ekpene Area Command.

Metro

Woman Sets Stepchildren’s Hands On Fire For Allegedly Eating Rice Prepared For Husband

Published

5 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Editor

A woman identified as Rachel Geoffrey, 23, has been arrested by the Adamawa State Police Command for setting the hands of her two stepchildren on fire.

The suspect who resides in Federal Housing Estate, Girei Local Government Area was arrested for setting fire to the hands of her stepchildren, Genesis Geoffrey, 7, and Idadai, 3.

The spokesperson of the command, SP Suleiman Nguroje, who confirmed the incident, said Geoffrey intentionally inflicted severe physical injuries on the 7 and 3-year-old children on May 7.

He said the victims faced several calculated acts of cruelty and Human Rights Violations from their stepmother after the separation of their mother from their father.

According to him, Genesis and Ijadai got their stepmother angry after eating the plate of rice she had cooked and kept for her husband, because they were hungry.

Reacting, she tied their hands with handkerchiefs and set fire to their hands, resulting in the severe injuries they sustained.

The Commissioner of Police CP Dankombo Morris, expressed worries as he advised members of the public particularly parents to live up to expectations by providing the basic needs of their wards. He also vowed to diligently make sure that the suspect is persecuted.

Metro

Tragedy Struck In Osun As Three siblings, Mother Die In Auto Crash

Published

18 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

Three siblings and their mother, identified as Cecilia were reported dead in a ghastly auto accident in Osun State on Saturday.

It was gathered that a car heading to Ibadan from Osogbo had a head-on collision with a motorcycle carrying a woman and four of her children back home from a vigil at Odeomu in Ayedaade local government area.

According to an eye witness Usman Ademola, the motorcyclist carried two of the children in front, another one in the middle while a toddler was wrapped behind the woman.

According to VANGUARD, the two children died on the spot in the incident that occurred between Odeomu and Oogi where the motorcycle was headed.

Also, the woman and the motorcyclist identified as Abraham died while the child behind the woman seems to have survived the incident.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that a mob that gathered at the scene set the car ablaze along with two of the occupants after the driver had escaped from the scene.

Osun police command spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola added that the two occupants were rescued from the car by police operatives and were rushed to a hospital in the state capital.

She added that policemen were deployed to the area to maintain peace and order.

Metro

Soldiers, Traders Clash In Abuja Market

Published

18 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has deployed its operatives to Banex – an electronics and telecommunications gadgets market, in Abuja, after a fight broke out between soldiers and some traders on Saturday.

Some civilians were seen in a viral video overpowering some soldiers in a fight at the popular market, while some scampered for safety over the fear of reprisals.

The Defence Headquarters, and the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Onyema Nwachukwu could not be reached for comments as of press time.

A source present at the scene of the pandemonium said the fight occurred over the sale of a mobile phone.

“There’s a problem at Banex now. Some soldiers came to complain about a phone, and during an argument with the traders, a fight ensued,” the witness said.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Benett Igweh has deployed officers of the FCT Intelligence Response Team to the scene of the incident.