Suspected cable vandals meet waterloo in Lagos

By Paul Iyoghojie

The Police at the Onikan Division, Lagos have arrested a suspected cable vandal, Friday Emmanuel, 30, at the scene of the incident in Ikoyi.

The suspect was charged before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court for allegedly vandalizing telecommunication armoured cables belonging to the Management of MAINONE Cable Company along Obafemi Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Also arrested alongside Emmanuel at the scene of the incident and charged to Court with him was the alleged buyer of the already vandalized cables valued at N50,000 before the police arrived at the scene of the incident, Mustapha Yau, 28.

Police alleged that nemesis caught up with the defendants on 3 July, 2022 when they stormed Obafemi Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, in the afternoon to vandalize underground telecommunication armour cables in the area.

The police said while the first defendant was busy cutting the cables with saw blades and other instruments with the assistance of the second defendant, concerned citizens in the area quickly sent a distress call to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Onikan Division, Ikoyi, Lagos who drafted his men to the scene of the incident to arrest the defendants.

Items recovered from the defendants, according to the police, were saw blades, chisel, wheelbarrow, vandalized cables and other dangerous weapons.

Emmanuel from Tanko town in Taraba State and Yau from Kano State were charged before the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court sitting at the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

Police prosecuting Counsel, Hafsat Ajibode informed the court that the defendants committed the offence on 3 July, 2022, along Obafemi Awolowo Road in the afternoon.

Ajibode told the court that the first defendant took his accomplice, the suspected stolen cable buyer to Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, to vandalize underground armour cable belonging to the Management of MAINONE Cable Company and that the defendants had already vandalized some cables valued at N50,000 before the police arrived the scene to arrest them.

She said the offences, the defendants committed, were punishable under sessions 411,287, 328 and 350 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate Gbajumo Ayoku granted them N100,000 bail each with two sureties each in like sum.

Ayoku adjourned the case till 8 August, 2022 for mention and ordered that the defendants be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till they perfected their bail conditions.