The Nation Newspaper

Tag: cable ‘theft’

  • Man arraigned for ‘cable theft’

    The police yesterday arraigned a 58-year-old man, Andike Johnson, in a Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, for allegedly stealing electric cables.

    The defendant was docked on charges bordering on dishonestly receiving stolen property, criminal conspiracy and theft.

    The prosecutor, Donaldtus Abbah, told the court that one Adepetu Emmanuel reported the matter at the ýFCT Police Command on December 30.

    He said the defendant and one Kenneth Samuel, conspired with others at large, and stole electric cables from News Engineering ýNigeria Limited, Abuja, between February and December, 2017.

    He added that the defendant usually sells the stolen cables to one Emeka Okenwa who had been charged to court.

    Abbah said the offences contravened Sections 317, 97and 287 of the Penal Code.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

    The judge, Abdulwahab Mohammed, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500, 000, with one surety in like sum, and adjourned the matter until October 5.

  • Five arrested for cable theft

    Five arrested for cable theft

    The police have arrested five persons for alleged cable theft.

    Mohammed Rabiu, 41, Musiliu Iyande, 35, Musa Ibrahim, 32, Sheriff Usman, 22, and David Okpako, 28,  allegedly vandalised and stole some Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) cables.

    Commissioner of Police Imohimi Edgal said the suspects were arrested on Fatai Atere Way, Mushin.

    The items recovered from them include an unregistered Mark truck containing 15 pieces of cables, a Mercury Villager space wagon marked RSH686-AJ containing two heavy duty batteries and three jack chains.

    Edgal said the suspects confessed that they were a syndicate which specialised in the vandalism of NITEL and electricity companies cables, adding that they have been in business for many years.

    He said their operational areas include Lagos and Abeokuta in Ogun State.

    The suspects said their gang leader, Ali Adamu, escaped when the police came to arrest them.

    A cyber café operator, Munachi Gift, 32, was also paraded for alleged illegal printing of national security documents.

    Gift was arrested on Monday at her business centre on 16 Alonge Street, Ojo Igbede road.

    Edgal said items recovered from the suspect include two driver’s licenses; two voter’s cards; one statement of results from the Federal College of Education, Uyo; statement of degree result from Enugu State University of Science and Technology; West African Senior School Certificate; first school leaving certificate; a computer and a printer.

  • Four held for cable theft at Eko Atlantic

    Four held for cable theft at Eko Atlantic

    The police have arraigned four men at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos for allegedly stealing diesel and cable wire belonging to Eko Atlantic Company, Lagos.

    Samuel Enoch, 32, Taye Ajayi, 28, Kayode Baba, 32 and Segun Adeojo, 35, were accused of committing the offence alongside their accomplices who are at large.

    They were docked before Mrs F. F. George on a charge marked D/60/2016 on two counts of conspiracy and stealing.

    According to prosecuting Corporal Chinedu Njoku, around 5am on Saturday, the defendants and their accomplices, all putting on black t-shirts, gained entry into the firm’s premises by scaling the fence.

    They drew out diesel with a hose from the tank of an excavator parked nearby into their 30-litre Jerry can and also severed several wire cables which they tried to cart away.

    The men, he said, were seen and chased by the firm’s security operatives who caught two of the defendants, Enoch and Ajayi with the stolen items in their possession, while the others escaped.

    Baba, a plumber and Adeojo, were subsequently arrested by operatives of the Victoria Island Police Station.

    Enoch pleaded guilty to both counts, but Baba and Adeojo denied the charge.

    Magistrate George remanded Enoch and Ajayi in prison until Thursday, for a review of the facts of their case and for sentencing, while Baba and Adeojo were granted N100,000 bail each with two sureties each in the like sum. Their case also comes up on Thursday.

  • Police arrest six for cable ‘theft’

    Police arrest six for cable ‘theft’

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives on Monday arrested a six-man syndicate, who allegedly specialised in vandalising and stealing of light-up cable wire, street lamps and street light poles.

    They are Tunde Alaba, 29, Saheed Ismail, 27, Deji Afolorunso, 26, Sunday Obasanmi, 27, Jelili Abodunrin, 32, and Taofeek Oyedele, 28. They were arrested around 2:30 am, under the bridge at CMS after destroying the streetlights.

    They were sighted while pulling down the street lamps, cables and poles.

    The suspects, RRS said, have been living under the bridge for about four years.

    Oyedele told RRS that the hardship situation in the country forced him into the criminal act.

    He was quoted as saying: “I came to Lagos about seven years ago. When I arrived, I was a bus conductor which I did for about two years. I joined the other accomplices under the bridge when I had no other place to live after my landlord evicted me for non-payment of rent. Before now, I was working as labourers with the road construction company around Marina. But after our project ended, I chose to steal the cable to earn a living.”

    Alaba told RRS that he left Lagos Island where he was squatting with a friend to avoid untimely death due to incessant clashes in the area.

    “I ran away for my life for fear of death. Lagos Island is not safe for me any longer because of rampant killings and clashes between rival groups in the area. I moved to under the bridge for shelter. Although, I have not been doing anything tangible since I came to Lagos, but I did have my daily meals through the sales of cables and iron steels.”

    Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP), said the suspects have been transferred to the Lagos State Environmental Task Force for prosecution.