A 34-year-old man named John Pere sustained severe injuries after electricity power was restored to a 33KV cable belonging to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), which he was attempting to vandalize in Delta State.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday along the road leading to the 3 Battalion Nigerian Army Effurun Barracks, situated off the well-known Refinery Road in Warri, Delta State.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing Pere writhing in pain, with burns covering large areas of his body at the scene. He was found unable to move comfortably, suffering from the aftermath of the electric shock. In his own words, Pere stated that he was “an expert at climbing electric poles without a ladder,” emphasizing his skills in this dangerous and illegal activity.
Further detailing his activities, Pere admitted to being responsible for similar acts of vandalism in the Obodo area, where he would sell the stolen cables to itinerant cart pushers. “I operate alone,” he disclosed, revealing his solitary approach to this illegal trade. He also mentioned his previous attempt at illegal oil bunkering, admitting that he had “failed to make a living” from that business before ultimately deciding to switch to vandalizing electricity cables.
In response to the incident, Mrs. Esther Okolie, the Public Affairs Relations Manager for BEDC, commented on the potential consequences had Pere succeeded in his mission.
She stated that if the vandal had completed his task, “the entire Refinery Road substation would have been out of service.” Mrs. Okolie further elaborated on the underlying issues contributing to electricity cable vandalism.
She explained that the prevalence of such crimes is partly due to the inability of distribution companies to ensure a steady power supply throughout the country. In instances of cable theft, she noted, “BEDC would have to replace the stolen cable before restoring power to the affected areas,” adding another layer of challenge to an already strained system.
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At the time of this report, police had not yet arrived at the scene to begin their investigations or to take the badly burned man to the hospital.
Bright Edafe, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Delta State Command, indicated that an investigation would be initiated to determine whether Pere operates alone or in collaboration with other vandals.
He affirmed, “The command will investigate the incident to confirm if the suspect operates alone or with other vandals,” highlighting the ongoing efforts to address the issue of cable vandalism in the region.
