4 Suspected Cable Thieves Arrested

A four-man gang that has been vandalising Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, cables at Alagutan village, Ajah, and its environs in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, have been caught by vigilant residents.

The suspected cable vandals were said to have been mercilessly beaten up and were about to be set ablaze by the youths when elders in the area intervened.

The elders were said to have pleaded with the youths to spare the suspects’ lives to enable the police do their investigation and identify other accomplices.

The suspects were later handed over to the police from Area F Command, Ajah.

The police alleged that the suspects, Monday Aleke, 20, Oliver Oboji, 25, Elias Omenyi, 25 and Michael Omuka, 28, were arrested, following a report from residents of Alaguntan village that the suspects stole bundles of armoured cable valued at N1,794,200 and in the process plunged the area into darkness.

During interrogation, all the suspects were said to have confessed to the crime, admitting that they have been vandalising PHCN cables in Ajah axis for long. They begged the residents and police for forgiveness.

Items recovered from them include bundles of the vandalised armoured cables and their get-away motorcycles.

After investigation, the suspects were charged to an Igbosere magistrate’s court on a three-count charge of stealing, an offence which, according to the prosecutor, Inspector Williams Unuane, is punishable under section 516, 390(9) (4) (9) of the Criminal Code, Cap. C17, Vol. ii, laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and the presiding magistrate, Mrs. O. I. Oguntade, granted them bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the matter till 7 November, 2011.

The accused were remanded in Ikoyi Prisons when nobody came to bail them.

—Paul Iyoghojie