A traditional ruler in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, Oba Nureni Akinremi, on Friday cried out against incessant cable theft resulting in erratic power supply in the area. Oba Akinremi, who is the Onijegun of Ijegun, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the crime had become alarming and called on authorities to beef up security in the communities.
According to the Ijegun monarch, crimes committed in the area include stealing of transformer cables, robbery and burglary. “The most destructive crime in Ijegun is cable vandalization; it is so bad that it has worsened the power supply to inhabitants of the area. “Sometimes we do not even have electricity for months because our transformer cables would have been vandalised. “We are imploring the government and Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IEDC) to make their presence felt in the area,’’ Oba Akinremi said.
The traditional ruler said that those destroying and stealing cables could not do so without conniving with officials of the electricity distribution companies. According to him, burgling a transformer required technical know-how beyond the competence of a layman. Also speaking with NAN, an Ijegun resident, Rev. Aderemi Adeleke, said that residents were living in fear because of the activities of criminals. Adeleke said that the vandals carried out their activities during power outages at night. “If there is stable electricity, the activities of criminals can be curbed. Effective policing, good access roads will also help,’’ Adeleke said.
On her part, Mrs Wosilat Bello, a trader, said daily patrol by the police could reduce the activities of criminals. “We appeal to the security agencies, vigilante groups to live up to their responsibilities, so that this area and Lagos State can be more conducive to live in,’’ she said. Bello called on government to provide jobs for youths so they could be productively engaged and not resort to crimes.
(NAN)
