Posted by By Vincent Ujumadu on
MOST parts of Abia State have been thrown into darkness following the vandalisation of the A 32 KVA electricity line that runs from Aba to Umuahia, just as the chief operating officer of the Enugu zone of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Mr. Chris Akamnonu, says the damaged installation would require about N30 million and at least two weeks to repair.
UMUAHIA - MOST parts of Abia State have been thrown into darkness following the vandalisation of the A 32 KVA electricity line that runs from Aba to Umuahia, just as the chief operating officer of the Enugu zone of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Mr. Chris Akamnonu, says the damaged installation would require about N30 million and at least two weeks to repair.
Four persons caught in the act by a local vigilance group at Umuosu Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa North local government area where the incident took place, have been handed over to the police and are being detained at the Central Investigation Department in Umuahia.
Their leader, one Ndubuisi Anaba who is from the community is still at large and youths in the area have begun a hunt for him, while officials of PHCN have rewarded the community with N100,000 for preventing the vandals from getting away with the large quantity of high tension wires they already pulled down. All the suspects were said to be based in Onitsha, Anambra State and are dealers on electrical materials in the commercial town.
According to the village head of Umuosu Nsulu, Chief Charles Ogbonna, there was a loud noise during the wee hours of Saturday which woke up the entire community. On investigation, he added, a Mitsubishi bus was sighted near the bush with the driver still on the steering, adding that when they got to the PHCN line of way, the vandals on noticing movement, took to their heels, while several poles already pulled down had their wires littered in that area.
The four men were later arrested while they were waiting for a vehicle to take them out of the community. He said that among items recovered from them include telephone handsets and a shirt won by the suspect who hails from the community.
Vanguard gathered that his mother was arrestwed when it was learnt that the suspect has been sneaking into their house to eat and sleep, although the woman has been released. Commending the community for apprehending the vandals, the PHCN boss regretted that aside the revenue being lost by his company, the most worrisome aspect is the disruption of economic and social life of the people.
'We are worried that artisans and others who use electricity for their day-to-day business can no longer do that," he stated, adding that his men were determined to restore light as soon as possible. He appealed to other communities to emulate Umuosu Nsulu by protecting electricity installations in their areas, adding that PHCN would always appreciate such gesture. He explained that in order to improve power supply to Umuahia and its environs, another line is being constructed from Aba through the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway to the state capital, promising that work on the project would be completed by March next year.