A seven-member gang of vandals at the weekend attacked a security post guarding streetlight facilities and carted away about 120 meter-long armoured cable, technically called XLP cable.
The operation, which lasted for about 30 minutes, has left half of the dual-carriage expressway between the Banex interchange and Gwarinpa II Estate interchange in darkness.
Two security guards, who were injured and taken to the hospital, have been discharged.
According to a statement by Chief Press Secretary to Minister of the FCT, Muhammad Sule, the culprits attempted to vandalise the transformer servicing half of the road but could not break the fortified access.
They, however, went away with mobile phones belonging to the security guards on duty and other electricity valuables.
Conducting reporters round the scene of the crime, Director of Facility Maintenance and Management, Niyi Olaloye said the case has reported at the Gwarinpa Police Station.
Olaloye said his office had been under attacks but regretted that a dangerous dimension has been added with the use of firearms.
Ag. Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) Hajiya Safiya Umar condemned vandalism of public facilities, describing the act as “unpatriotic”.
Tag: streetlight
-
Vandals cart away armoured cable from streetlight
-
RRS arrest suspected cable vandals
Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) have arrested a six-man gang who allegedly specialise in vandalising Streetlight cables.
Tunde Alaba, 29, Saheed Ismail, 27, Deji Afolorunso, 26, Sunday Obasanmi, 27, Jelili Oyedele, 32, and Taofeek Oyedele, 28, were arrested on Monday, at about2:30am under the bridge at CMS.
They were said to have been sighted by a patrol team while they were pulling down street lamps, cables and poles.
It was gathered that the officers who saw them, called for back-up before they were arrested and taken to Alausa.
According to the police, the suspects confessed to the crime, attributing it to hardship.
Oyedele who claimed he has lived under the bridge for four years, said that he used to be a bus conductor.He said: “I came to Lagos about seven years ago. When I arrived, I was a bus conductor which I did for about 2 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 a labourer with the road construction company around Marina. But after our project ended, I chose to steal the cable to earn a living.”
Alaba said he stole and sold cables to feed.
He said: “I used to stay with a friend in Lagos Island but I ran from there because of the frequent clashes between cultists and area boys. I relocated under the bridge where I have been surviving through the sale of cables and iron steel.”
Afolorunsho who claimed he used to be a janitor at Idumota Market where he earned N2, 500 daily, said greed led him to stealing cables.
Contacted, the command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police, (SP) confirmed the arrest, adding that they have been handed over to the Lagos State Environmental Task Force for prosecution.
-
Streetlight contractors told to sit up
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has warned contractors handling the maintenance of streetlights to sit up or have their contracts terminated.
FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello gave the warning during an emergency meeting with the contractors.
Represented by the Acting Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Hajiya Safiya Umar, the minister reiterated that the FCT Administration would not condone any further lackadaisical attitude from the contractors as they either perform or face outright termination of their contracts, adding that it is no longer business as usual.
Bello in a statement issued by the Deputy Director cum Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule said: “All streetlight contractors in the Federal Capital City must brace to the terms of their contractors of illuminating the city especially the major streets or face termination.”
According to him, the FCT Administration is not in default of any of their payments as it has met all its contractual agreement, and therefore expects the contractors to be up and doing to fulfill their own obligation.
“Our payments are up to date and therefore we expect effective service as no street in any part of the city should be in darkness, when there is electricity supply by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, the FCT Administration has written official warning letters to all the contractors to show the seriousness it attaches to the efficient functioning of streetlights in the city.
A meeting was also held with the supervising officers in the Department of Facility Management and Maintenance to warn them of the consequences of not effectively supervising the contractors.
-
Streetlight pole cable electrocutes three in Mile 12
Three persons have been electrocuted by a streetlight cable in Mile 12 near Ketu, Lagos.
The incident occurred around Kosofe Bus Stop when a wire snapped from the streetlight pole and fell on the railings used to barricade pedestrians from crossing the expressway.
It was gathered that despite the barricade, some pedestrians still prefer to force their way through it, instead of taking the bridge at Mile 12 Market or the one at Ketu.
The dead were said to have tried to climb the barricade and grabbed the pole to support themselves, oblivious of the danger.
They were said to have been electrocuted on Saturday.
The pole, The Nation learnt, had been removed by Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives.
-
RRS nabs suspected streetlight cable thief
Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have arrested a vandal for allegedly digging up the armoured cable for the Ojota Street light and removing its silver protector.
Obaji Christopher, 23, from Benue State, was caught last Saturday by RRS men on routine surveillance of Ojota loop, inward Ketu-Alapere Road around 11:20am while allegedly pulling out the cable.
Obaji, who claimed to have arrived in Lagos two weeks ago, was said to have dug up the cable with hoe. He was said to be with an accomplice, who fled.
In a statement yesterday, RRS said: “Early on Saturday morning, during our daily patrol routine, we saw the suspect where he was vandalising the armoured cable meant to electrify Lagos in Ojota.
“The cable was buried after it was laid. We saw him and his accomplice digging up the cable. He was using hoe to bring the cable to the surface while his friend had on him a broken saw, cutting some part in the cable,” he said.
The suspect, the RRS said, claimed that poverty led him into the act.
It quoted Christopher as saying: “I just arrived in Lagos about two weeks ago. When I had nowhere to sleep, I started sleeping inside Ojota park. It was at this park that I met one guy, simply identified as Anago, who introduced me to this job.
“Anago told me that if I was able to go for two to three operations, I will have enough money to take care of my present predicament. On this very day, we went together to Ojota for the operation. When we got there, both of us dug the ground where the cable was buried.
“We had successfully pulled it out. But to my surprise, I didn’t know how my friend escaped from the scene. When I was about to be packing the cable into a sack, I saw policemen appeared. At this point, I didn’t know what to do again. That was how I was arrested”.
Last April 2, the RRS arrested Lucky Udeagwu for allegedly stealing a 35-meter-long armoured cable meant for the Light up Lagos’ project in Ogudu.
Police spokesperson Dolapo Badmus, a Superintendent (SP) said the government would not tolerate vandalism and saboteurs.
The suspect has been transferred to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS’s) office in Ikeja.