Abuja High Court jails cable vandal for 2 years

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has handed a two-year jail term to one Emmanuel Alao, who was caught vandalising an Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) substation in Utako District of the Federal Capital City (FCT).

Alao, who was arrested on December 24, 2016 by an official of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), was charged to court for contravening sections 1(a) and (10) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act (2004), which prescribes life imprisonment as maximum punishment for the offence.

A press statement issued by Ahmed Shekarau, Head of Public Relations and Media of AEDC, on Sunday, disclosed that the convict was paraded before journalists by the NSCDC ahead of his arraignment.

The NSCDC had filed a onecount charge on the convict on January 18, 2017.

Delivering judgment after Alao pleaded guilty, the court convicted and sentenced him to two years imprisonment with hard labour, being a firsttime offender.

AEDC said the conviction was a milestone in the fight against vandalism as it was coming on the heels of incessant acts of vandalisation of electrical facilities in the Federal Capital Territory.

Enumerating the unfortunate acts, the Disco said in the Wuse District of Abuja, over 18 substations were vandalised with several metres of cables and other accessories carted away by vandals.