A man suspected to be a cable thief has lost his life while attempting to vandalise a power installation in Awka, throwing residents of Ogechukwu Street into shock on Tuesday.
The yet-to-be-identified man was electrocuted at a transformer substation belonging to FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited.
Neighbours said they heard a loud explosion around dawn, only to later discover the lifeless body of the suspect inside the fenced power facility.
The company’s Head of Communications, Izunna Okafor, in a statement made available to Newsmen on Tuesday in Awka said preliminary findings revealed that the suspect had unlawfully tampered with electricity cables before a heavy blast occurred, leading to his instant electrocution.
The company added that the man was dressed in what appeared to be a security uniform at the time of the incident.
Operatives of the Anambra State Police Command were immediately contacted and reportedly evacuated the corpse while commencing investigations into the circumstances surrounding the failed vandalism.
Reacting to the development, the Managing Director of FirstPower, Okechukwu Okafor, condemned the rising cases of energy theft and vandalism across the state. He warned that beyond the huge financial losses and power disruptions such acts cause, they also pose grave danger to perpetrators and innocent residents.
Community leaders in the area have since called for increased vigilance, urging youths to desist from tampering with public infrastructure. Residents were advised to report any suspicious movement around transformers and other electricity facilities to the company or security agencies.
The incident has once again highlighted the dangers associated with vandalising critical infrastructure .
