A 34-year-old man, John Pere, has been undergoing serious pain after sustaining burn injuries in a failed attempt to vandalise a 33KV BEDC line in Delta State.
He got an immediate shock and severe burns at midnight during the process.
The link road leads to the 3 Battalion Nigerian Army, Effurun Barracks, off the popular Refinery Road, Delta State.
Investigations showed that luck ran out for Pere when power was suddenly restored to the line while he was trying to cut the armoured cable supplying current to the system.
Pere, who was in the throes of pain at the scene of the incident, narrated that he was an expert in climbing electric poles without a ladder.
He said he had committed similar vandalism on electricity wires in Obodo and that he usually sells the stolen wires to itinerant cart pushers.
According to him, he operates alone, attempted illegal oil bunkering, and failed to make a living from the business before switching to vandalising electricity cables.
Public Affairs Relations Manager, Benin Electricity Development Company (BEDC), Mrs Esther Okolie, said if Pere had succeeded in his mission, the entire part of the Refinery Road substation would have been out of service for a while.
She revealed incidences of electricity wire vandalisation account partly for why electricity companies in Nigeria are unable to ensure a steady power supply until BEDC will replace the missing cable and restores power to the affected area.
As of the time of this report, the police were yet to arrive at the scene of the incident to commence investigations or take the badly burnt Pere to the hospital.
Bright Edafe, police public relations officer (PPRO), Delta Command, said the command would confirm whether the suspect operates alone or works with other vandals.
It is yet to be confirmed if Pere survived the severe burn injuries sustained.
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