How police officer, 4 others were caught stealing transformer
A police officer in Nasarawa State was nabbed alongside his accomplices carting away electricity equipment.
Acase of the law going against its code of engagement played out in Nasarawa State when a 40-yearold Assistant Superintended of Police (ASP) Garba Audu and four accomplices were arrested for allegedly carting away a transformer belonging to Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) in Mararaba/Obi Junction.
Audu, who is serving with the state police command connived with four other electricity experts using police patrol van to vandalise the transformer and loaded firewood on top of the transformer as a cover escaped with it.
The burble bust when the police officer and his cohorts were moving the transformer when a member of a vigilante group sighted them and alerted the police. They were chased and intercepted by the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS) operating in the area.
It was gathered that the police officer and his team allegedly took advantage of the power interruption, vandalise the transformer and removed all the installations attached to it and use the police vehicle to transport the items.
The Nasarawa State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) Idrisu Kennedy, said that investigation into the case has commenced by the state criminal investigation and intelligence department and disciplinary procedure against the officer was ongoing.
The Head, Public Relations and Communication of AEDC, Ahmed Shekarau, also confirmed the arrest and said that the company was carrying out investigation to unravel the cause of the theft and other similar incidents across the state.
Furthermore, the Nasarawa Regional Manager of the AEDC, Ameen Shakur, said that no fewer than 40 transformers have been vandalized in Lafia alone since January this year.
He decried the high rate of vandalism of electricity installations pointing out that the menace was impeding their services.
Shakur added that a 500 KVA transformers cost N4.5 million aside cables and other accessories, explaining that the cost of replacing the vandalized substations was huge.
However, the police spokesman said the current case might not be peculiar in terms of vandalism of electricity installation in the state