Head, Public Lighting, Lagos State Electricity Board, Mr. Lukman Orunsolu, has said the activities of vandals and cable thieves pose great threat to reliable street lights in the state.
Orunsolu spoke on Wednesday after the parade of some vandals and electricity cable thieves by the Lagos State Police Command.
He said the recent theft of street light cables, particularly on Eko Bridge, called for relentless efforts by all to curb the activities of cable criminals.
Orunsolu said, "Last year, on the same Eko bridge, one Rabiu Mohammed and Mufutau, a bricklayer, were apprehended and handed over to Lion Building Police Station.
"Security operatives around that areas have apprehended more than 20 vandals and the criminals have been handed over to the police."
During the parade, a welder, Opeyemi Adeolu, who was recently arrested by the Rapid Response Squad, in Lagos for stealing cables belonging to Independent Power Project, said he took to crime because he needed to buy a generator to run his business effectively.
The police said the suspect was arrested under Eko Bridge on Sunday while packing vandalised cables.
The suspect was said to have been operating with 11 others who are on the run when policemen accosted them.
The police said as the suspects were being chased, the 11 culprits jumped into the lagoon and escaped while Adeolu was arrested.
The indigene of Osun State said he could not escape because he did not know how to swim and was afraid that he would drown.
Adeolu said, "My friend, Ifeanyi, asked me to join the gang in order to make quick money and this was my first time of stealing cables. Ifeanyi told me if I followed them to steal cables, my entire problem would be solved.
"I needed money to buy a Lyster generator for my welding business. That was why I agreed to join them. They had already got a buyer that wanted to pay N250,000 for the stolen cables at Ijora Olopa. I was apprehended before we could get to our customer."
The Punch