A suspected vandal, who narrowly escaped electrocution while attempting to steal an armoured cable from a transformer in Edo State, has been arrested by the police and hospitalized.
Nemesis was said to have caught up with the middle-aged suspect who identified himself as Osas Vaginia street junction on First East Circular road in Oredo Local Government Area.
The alleged vandal sustained severe burns on his body, when explosion occurred around the transformer at about 3.a.m last Tuesday night.
TheNewspad reports that the explosion prompted residents of the area to besiege the scene, mobilize themselves and handed over the alleged vandal to men of Esigie police Division for investigation and prosecution.
Worried by the life-threatening injury the suspect sustained, police authorities informed the Management of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) and admitted the suspect to Edo Specialist Hospital in Benin City, for urgent medical attention.
Briefing journalists on he ordeal, the suspect hails from Idunmoza quarters in Irrua, Esan South East Local Government Area, alleged that he grew up in Benin City.
He revealed that the only friend he had named John, is dead; lamenting that he is homeless, and does not have any family member of friend.
A BEDC Business Manager (BM) in charge of the area said the arrest of the suspect has vindicated BEDC workers wrongly accused of economic sabotage by some Nigerians, including electricity consumers when cases electricity equipment is vandalized by criminals.
“The suspect is receiving treatment at the hospital under security surveillance”, according to him.
He explained that the intervention is to ensure that he (suspect) is stable to make useful statement with the police when he is discharged from hospital for prosecution.
“The reason we are adopted this approach is to make sure that the image of BEDC workers who are wrongly accused of stealing electricity equipment by some electricity users whenever a case of vandalism is reported.
“Anytime a case of vandalism is reported, people are quick to point accusing fingers to BEDC of been liable for sins they did not commit. Thank God for this suspect’s arrest. This arrest has disprove that claims”, he said.
TheNewspad investigation further revealed that concerns are mounting over the difficulties in getting any relative of the suspect to pay his medical bills.
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