SIX ARRESTED OVER ALLEGED POWER INFRASTRUCTURE VANDALISM IN OSUN

The Osun State Police Command has arrested six people, including four employees of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, over an alleged attempt to vandalise electricity infrastructure in Ikirun, Osun State.

The suspects were reportedly apprehended at the scene of the alleged offence after police operatives attached to the Ikirun Division acted on credible intelligence concerning suspected vandalism in the area.

The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, disclosed the arrests in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday. He said the police received the intelligence at about 6am and immediately mobilised officers, led by the Divisional Police Officer, to the location.

According to the police, the suspects were allegedly found cutting a high-tension electricity pole using a cutting machine powered by a generating set. The operation led to the arrest of all six individuals at the scene.

The police identified the suspects as Onabamiji Emmanuel, 55; Bolaji Odusanya, 51; Alimi Akeem, 36; Balogun Kehinde, 52; Oyewo Hammed, 31; and Oladosu Hammed, 22.

Investigators said three of the suspects — Emmanuel, Odusanya and Akeem — are employees of IBEDC working in Ikirun. Another suspect, Balogun, was identified as a security personnel attached to the electricity distribution company.

The remaining two suspects, Oyewo and Oladosu, were identified as welders. Police authorities said the six suspects were allegedly involved in an organised operation targeting electricity installations in Ikirun and surrounding communities.

Several items believed to have been used in the alleged vandalism were recovered during the operation. They included a cutting machine, a generating set and a welding machine.

The police said the arrests followed intelligence gathering aimed at identifying individuals allegedly involved in the destruction and theft of electricity infrastructure within the area. The command described the suspects as part of a suspected syndicate believed to have been operating in Ikirun and its environs.

Following the arrests, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a more detailed investigation.

The police said detectives would investigate the allegations and determine the extent of each suspect’s involvement before taking the case to court. The suspects are expected to be charged after the completion of the investigation.

The command warned individuals and groups involved in the vandalism, destruction or theft of public infrastructure to stop such activities, stressing that security operatives would continue to use intelligence-led operations to identify and apprehend offenders.

The police also appealed to residents of Osun State to provide timely and credible information about suspicious activities around electricity installations and other critical public infrastructure.

Zungura assured residents that the command would continue to protect essential public facilities and pursue individuals suspected of engaging in activities capable of disrupting critical services.

The latest arrests come amid continued concerns over the impact of vandalism on Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure, as damage to power installations can disrupt electricity distribution and impose additional costs on the system.

The investigation will now focus on establishing how the alleged operation was organised, the roles played by the six suspects and whether other individuals may have been involved in the suspected vandalism.