Ex-NEPA staffer, 4 others arrested over transformer theft in Ogbomoso
Yinka ADETUNJI
Five hoodlums who specialize in stealing of transformers and its parts have been arrested in Ogbomoso, Oyo state.
According to the Oyo state Police Command, while parading the suspects Monday at the command’s headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, the hoodlums were apprehended Saturday at Aroje, Ogbomoso, following credible intelligence report.
Eighteen other suspects were also paraded over alleged attempted kidnap, robbery as well as hijacking and diversion.
Briefing journalists, police spokesman Adewale Osifeso said the command’s anti-crime patrol trailed the suspects to their hideout in Aroje where they were arrested following credible intelligence about their activities.
He said that five other suspects were arrested along with the former NEPA staffers over the alleged transformer theft.
Osifeso said that one 333kva transformer valued at N15 million and a Toyota DAINA Truck used to convey the transformer were recovered from the suspects.
The PPRO disclosed the suspects confessed to have removed the transformer from its location to be delivered to an unnamed receiver in Lagos state.
He said that the men are suspected to be responsible for similar criminal activities in various parts of Oyo state and in neighbouring states.
Confessing one of the suspects said he had been involved in the nefarious activity of stealing and vandalizing transformers for over two years.
Also paraded were a bricklayer, a hunter and one other member of a gang, who disguised as military officers by wearing military camouflage uniform and other accoutrements to attack and rob unsuspecting members of the public at Ajoda and Egbeda axis in Ibadan.
Osifeso informed the suspects were arrested on Thursday at about 10.30 a.m, in military gears for their operation while one of them was found in possession of a single barrel gun.
“Upon interrogation, the suspects were unable to give any satisfactory explanations about the military uniforms and the gun recovered from them,” he said.
The PPRO said that exhibits recovered from the suspects included military short, one Fulani turban, one red beret and one dagger.
The police also paraded a 25 year old suspect, who masterminded the plot to kidnap his elder brother and later succeeded in collecting N1.5 million from the brother after series of threat calls to his brother through three of his accomplices.
