By Christopher Oji & Itoro Godwin
THE Lagos State Police command has arrested a suspected vandal who allegedly specialised in stealing electric cables.
According to the police, the suspect, Lucky Udeagwu and two others on the run, belonged to a syndicate that has been frustrating the light up Lagos project of the Lagos State Government by stealing the armoured cables for the project.
Udeagwu, 29, a Delta State indigenes was arrested by the operatives from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the State Police Command while others have been declared wanted.
The suspect, who was arrested at about 3am denied being a member of the syndicate .
“It is true that I was arrested around 3am but I am not a member of the Syndicate. I was at Ogudu bus-stop, looking on the express road when I saw two boys with a bag. Immediately the boys saw a Police patrol van approaching, they dropped the bag and took to their heels. I could not run because, I did not know why they were running. I was arrested by the Police, but I was not part of the people that dropped the bag containing the cable.
“Yes, you are right but by asking what I was doing at that unholy hour. I was trekking to where I would board a bus to Ikorodu. I wanted to get to a building site at Ikorodu early. The tools found with me are what I was using to service my generator.
A police source from the team that arrested Udeagwu told Daily Sun that the commander RRS, ACP Olatunji Disu, has charged all officers including RRS riders that his Excellency, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode wants officers to always check out light-up Lagos project because of pending cases of vandalis ation and theft of armoured cable powering the street lights.
“Early Saturday morning, we saw Lucky and two others carrying a big sack coming towards Ogudu bus Stop. Because it was a straight road, we could see them from afar. They dropped the bag at the bus stop. As they sighted RRS vehicle, they took to their heels in different directions but we caught Lucky. We were suspicious that what made them run when they saw us must be something criminal in nature. We checked the bag and we saw a 35 metre long armoured cable. Beside the bag, was a camouflage cap.
We are under instruction, as RRS operatives to monitor cable installations of light-up Lagos project. There were reports of cable theft in some parts of the metropolis, particularly, in the area the suspect was arrested. On the spot, we searched him. We found in his small bag, screw driver, 10 spanner and a T-Shirt. The 10 Spanner is the size of the bolts covering the street lights in this area.
Confirming the report, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Dolapo Badmos said the state would not tolerate vandalism and sabotage of governments’ efforts.
The suspect has been transferred to the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) unit for further investigation.