A private school teacher, identified simply as John and five other suspects have been arrested by the Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The NSCDC Commandant in the state, Mr. Sunday Agboola, while parading the suspects on Monday disclosed that they were apprehended for allegedly tampering with electricity meters in a bid to use energy without paying commensurate amount.
He identified the other suspects as Jaye Abayomi, Abidemi Enoch, Jackson Imukodro, Adeleke Fatimah and Azeez Mutiu.
Agoola revealed that they were arrested in Awosuru, Alekuwodo, Jaleyemi, Ogo Oluwa and Omigade area – all located within Osogbo metropolis during a joint operation by his men and officials of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company on October 13, 2023.
Furthermore, the commandant noted a series of arrests made to deter the public from energy theft, and lamented that many people in the state still engage in the act.
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He said, “The command is dismayed. Despite several arrests made to deter the public from embarking on this illegal act, some have bluntly refused to desist from this act.
“NSDC will not rest on its oars until we see positive change in our state. After an investigation has been completed, these suspects will be taken to court.”
Speaking during the parading, John admitted engaging in meter bypass, saying “Our terminal got spoilt and we have an agent who usually loads our matter directly for us but the person wasn’t available on Friday to load it for us, that was why I decided to bypass it.”
Meanwhile, reprieve came the way of one Ojo Gbenga, a suspect standing trial for alleged armed robbery and conspiracy, as an Ikeja High Court on Monday struck out his case due to absence of the prosecution witness.
According to Justice Oyindamola Ogala, the “defendant’s presumption of innocence is still valid’’.
“The defendant should be released in the absence of any matter in any other court.
“The prosecution is at liberty to re-arrest when the victim (who is the prosecution witness) is ready to reopen the case,” Ogala said.
The state prosecutor, O.A Azeez, told the court that the prosecution witness, who is the victim in the matter, relocated outside of Lagos State after the incident, hence his absence.