12 electricity vandals nabbed in Bauchi, Gombe – JEDC says

By Kingsley Chukwuka

A statement signed by the Head of Corporate Communications, Jos Electricity Distribution Company, Dr. Friday Adakole Elijah has indicated that 12 electricity vandals have been apprehended by men of the Vigilante group in Bauchi and Gombe State.

Elijah said the vandals were caught after the new managing director, Engr. Abdu Bello Mohammed synergized with security agencies promising to work with them as partners in progress.

Giving the break down, the Spokesman for Jos DisCo said in Bauchi, the suspected vandals numbering eight had succeeded in vandalising 300KVA substation at Yankari, 33kV Feder in  Alkaleri Local Government Area by cutting 30 meters of 70mm2 and 6 meters of 150 mm3 as well as draining the transformer oil.

“The arrested suspects were as follows – Nuhu Ibrahim (18), Suleiman Abubakar (18), Umar Musa (24), Ahmed Bala (25), Bashir Yunusa (24),  Bashir Halilu (23).

Adam A. Adam (40) and Salish Ibrahim who were the receivers of the vandalised items were equally apprehended by the police”, Elijah said.

He continued: “Similarly, in Otukpo, Benue State, at about midnight of 2nd Nov 2022, one  Audu Usman was seen vandalising JED Plc’s electric wire at number 38 Lagos street Otukpo.

“He was arrested by volunteer guard/vigilante men on patrol at Lagos street.

“After interrogation, he confessed that he and others yet to be arrested were majorly behind so many cases of prepaid meter bypass in the area.

“In the same vein, one Mr Terpase Samuel age 27, was caught in the process of removing a Feeder Piller bar and its Units of 300kva Hillside Transformer at Adi Agor Road,  GRA, Gboko by a Youth.

“All the arrested suspects have been handed over to the police for interrogation and prosecution”, he said.

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However, while reacting to the development, the MD,  Mohammed, thanked the youths and the various vigilante groups for their patriotic act which culminated in numerous arrests.

He charged members of the public to challenge suspected movements around electricity installations to ascertain the genuineness of the person.

“If the suspected person in our facilities cannot give a cogent reason as to why he is there or cannot properly identify himself, arrest and take him or her to the nearest police station”, he ordered.

Also reacting, the Chief Security Officer of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi commended the local security outfits and the youth and said that there would be no more hiding place for energy criminals in the company’s franchise areas.