…As suspected vandal losses life, while trying to cut power cable in Aba
Aba Power Limited Electric (APLE) has once again warned vandals to desist from their unlawful acts and seek more productive pursuits, stressing that vandalism of the power infrastructure not only disrupts electricity supply, but also endangers lives.
This is as residents of Omuma Road, in Aba South Local Government, of Abia State, Wednesday morning woke up to see a lifeless body of an unidentified man, hanging from the poles supporting wires connected to a distribution transformer in the Aba Power network.
The individual was electrocuted while apparently attempting to cut copper wires from the transformer.
This is barely a month when Chizurum Emmanuel, a 28-year-old native of Aro Ngwa, in Osisioma Local Government Area, was caught on July 23, 2025, by the community’s vigilante group, while attempting to vandalise a 300kVA transformer.
Ugochukwu Opiegbe, managing director of Aba Power, during a strategic briefing with journalists and technical staff in Aba, decried the rising wave of vandalism, particularly targeting ongoing project sites.
He described the acts as not only criminal, but deeply damaging to economic and social life in affected communities.
“We are putting together a new strategy to combat vandalism in our network.
“This new approach is largely hinged on public buy-in.” As part of the new measures, Aba Power has set up a dedicated reporting line and deployed a rapid response team to swiftly address reports of vandalism”, he declared.
These teams, the company said, would be strategically located to ensure prompt interventions.
Just days after the announcement, the company recorded a breakthrough as a suspected vandal earlier mentioned was apprehended at Aro Ngwa in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area (LGA).
Emmanuel, a 28-year-old native of Aro Ngwa, was caught red-handed by the community’s vigilante group, while attempting to vandalise a 300kVA transformer.
Read also: Aba Power seeks community collaboration against vandals
He was handed over to the Osisioma Police Division. The arrest was the result of an ongoing collaboration between Geometric Security Services (GSS) and vigilance host communities.
Alphonsus Udeigbo, president–general of Aba Landlords Development and Protection Association (APALDA), who is also the president of the Abia State Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA), condemned the attacks on basic public facilities, describing the perpetrators “as the most mindless criminals, who impede the progress of the people.”
Agege Ukaegbu, formerly of the Federal Airports Authority (FAAN), while speaking on the development, praised the arrest and called for stronger punitive action.
“Anyone who tampers with the public electricity infrastructure should face the full weight of the law.
“We must treat vandalism as economic sabotage. Communities must remain alert and uncompromising in defending their power supply,” Agege said.
Also speaking at the briefing, Simeon Akpata, head of Technical Services at Aba Power, commended communities that had proactively protected infrastructure in their areas.
He stressed that there is a clear link between community vigilance and improved service delivery.
Kenneth Agu, Chief of Geometric Security Services (GSS), assured stakeholders that his team is fully mobilised with trained personnel and advanced surveillance tools to monitor and respond to threats across the network.
In a direct call to action, Aba Power urged residents and communities to rise in defence of not just electricity infrastructure but their own wellbeing.
“This is beyond just protecting a transformer,” the statement read. Every act of sabotage affects lives, businesses, and education. We call on all residents to join hands with Aba Power to secure our network and secure our future,” he noted.
The message from the leadership is clear: lasting success in the fight against vandalism requires a united front—between the company, security agencies, and the communities that depend on electricity the most.
Eyewitnesses reported that the electrocuted vandal was in the company of two other suspected vandals, who fled immediately the electrocution occurred.
Ikenna Okwoli, Aba Power Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) manager, expressed shock at the extent some individuals go in their attempts to vandalise electricity infrastructure.
Edise Ekong, manager, Branding and Communication for Aba Power, described the incident as unfortunate.
“It is sad to see an able-bodied man lose his life in this way. Unfortunately, this is one of the consequences of unauthorised access and interference with electricity assets,” he said.
Ekong further emphasized the need for stronger community collaboration to protect critical public infrastructure.
He said: “Communities must come together and work with Aba Power to safeguard electricity assets around them. That is the only way we can win the war against vandals and vandalism.”
The body was later retrieved by officers from the Abia State Police Command and was taken to the Abia State University Teaching Hospital Mortuary off Jubilee Road in Aba.
Residents, who gathered at the scene, expressed disappointment that the attempt to vandalise the transformer could have once again plunged the community into darkness.
