The lifeless body of a yet-to-be-identified suspected vandal was discovered in the early hours of Tuesday within the premises of the Akonobi 500KVA Distribution Substation, owned by MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL), along Independence Avenue in Independence Layout, Enugu.
The deceased, believed to have been working with accomplices, had reportedly loosened two intermediate cables from the substation and was attempting to remove a third when electricity supply was suddenly restored, leading to his electrocution.
The Head of Communications at MEDL, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, who confirmed the incident to journalists, described the development as unfortunate.
He noted that the presence of missing cables at the scene suggests that the suspect did not act alone, as his accomplices likely fled with the already removed components.
Ezeh raised concerns over the rising incidents of vandalism targeting electricity infrastructure, stressing that such acts not only result in financial losses for the company but also disrupt power supply and negatively affect service delivery to customers.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and support efforts to curb vandalism, emphasizing that customers play a crucial role in protecting critical infrastructure.
“This is a collective responsibility. When these facilities are vandalised, the communities they serve suffer significant disruptions,” he stated, adding that the tragic incident should serve as a warning to others involved in similar criminal activities.
The remains of the deceased have been evacuated by officers of the Nigerian Police and deposited at the morgue of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH).
