2 PHEDC staff in police net over alleged cable vandalism

Police Command in Cross River has arrested two staff members of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) over alleged vandalism of the company’s utility cables.

Our correspondent reports that the two PHEDC staff members were among the 17 suspects paraded for various offences by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Gyogon Grimah, in Calabar on Friday.

Grimah listed the items recovered from the electricity workers to include: one roll of cable wire, one Nissan Pick Van, a ladder and plyers.

He said that other suspects arrested within the last one month also included: three notorious armed robbers, six suspected cultists and robbers, five burglary suspects and one arrested for alleged murder.

The police commissioner said that the 54-year-old murder suspect had confessed to the killing of his 34-year-old girl friend.

The murder suspect, who later spoke with newsmen, said he was provoked into beating his girl friend, whom he had dated for two years, to a state of coma.

As for the burglary/stealing suspects, the police commissioner, who gave their age range as between 20 years and 43 years, said a number of items were recovered from them.

He listed the recovered the items as: four standing iron breakers, one cassava engine grinder, nine engine palms, one iron bowl and a white cycling fan, all valued at N1.3 million.

Grimah said all the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded on all the matters.

Meanwhile, the police commissioner has warned the people of the state against violence, lawlessness and resort to self-help.

“I want to clearly state that violence, lawlessness and self-help cannot proffer solution in any enlightened society. Seeking legal redress in settling disputes is more profitable.

“I enjoin members of the public to maximally explore the strategic whistle blowing avenues in exposing all the haters of peace under any guise,” he said.