A suspected vandal, identified simply as Wale, met his Waterloo was electrocuted while attempting to steal electrical cables from a transformer located at Zone B area of Surulere Estate, in Ede South Local Government Area of Osun State.
Wale, who hails from Owode Igbona in Osogbo, reportedly sustained severe injuries after electric power was suddenly restored while he was in the act of disconnecting the up-riser cable and other incoming wires from the transformer.
Eyewitnesses said the suspect had gained access to the facility on Thursday under the cover of darkness, but luck ran out on him when power supply was restored mid-operation, leading to an electric shock that left him badly injured.
Residents of the area, who had earlier noticed suspicious activity around the transformer, quickly alerted men of the Nigeria Police Force from Oke Iresi Police Station, Ede, who arrived the scene and took the suspect into custody.
Chairman of Zone B Community, Dr. BMG Amosa, while speaking on the incident, decried the rising cases of vandalism and theft of public utilities in the area.
“While this is an unfortunate incident, it highlights the grave danger of tampering with critical community infrastructure. Let this serve as a deterrent to others. We remain committed to safeguarding our community’s resources.”
A police source who confirmed the incident to Vanguard said investigation into the matter is ongoing, with a view to uncovering if the suspect acted alone or was working with others
