Barely 52 days after the launch of Light Up Lagos project by Governor Ambode, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of the state Police Command, weekend, arrested a suspect attempting to steal the cables.
Suspect was caught while digging up the armoured cable and removing its silver protector in Ojota area of the state.
The suspected cable thief, identified as Obaji Christopher, 23, from Benue State, was caught in the act by RRS operatives, who were on routine surveillance of Ojota loop, inward Ketu-Alapere Road.
Obaji, who explained to interrogators that he just got to Lagos two weeks ago, was seen with an accomplice now at large, digging up the armoured cable with hoe and removing its silver protector before he was arrested.
One of the RRS men, who preferred anonymity, said: “Early on Saturday morning, during our daily patrol routine, we saw the suspect vandalising the armoured cable meant to electrify Lagos in an inauspicious corner in Ojota.
“We saw him and his accomplice digging up the cable. He was using hoes to bring the cable to the surface. He was unable to take to flee because we had already surrounded the area.”
Upon his arrival at the RRS headquarters, the suspect confessed to the crime, saying that poverty led him into the act.
It’s poverty—SUSPECT
In his confessional statement, the suspect said: “I just came to Lagos about two weeks ago. When I had nowhere to sleep, I started sleeping inside Ojota Park. It was at this park that I met one guy, Anago, who introduced me to this job.
“Anago told me that if I was able to go for two to three operations, I will have enough money to take care of my present predicaments. On this very day, we went together to Ojota and dug up the cable.
“We had successfully pulled it out. But to my greatest surprise, I did not know how my friend escaped from the scene. When I was about parking the cable into a sack, I saw policemen.”
Security operatives checks around the motor park as part of efforts to arrest Anago, proved abortive.
It could be recalled that RRS, on April 2, arrested a similar cable thief, Lucky Udeagwu, for stealing a 35-metre long armoured cable meant for the project in Ogudu.
No comments:
Post a Comment