BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has declared full war against electricity thieves and citizens who bypass their meters.
According to the corps, these individuals are sabotaging the economy by tampering with their meters and preventing energy companies from making expected profits.
To nip the illegal practice in the bud, the corps launched a joint operation with the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and moved around some towns in Osun State to detect residents who engage in shady practices.
After the monitoring, six residents of the state were nabbed and paraded by the NSCDC command for economic sabotage.
They were said to have tampered with meters in their residences to circumvent appropriate payment for energy consumed.
The suspects who were arrested at Ota-Efun area, Osogbo, Osun State, were paraded by the NSCDC Commandant in the state, Agboola Sunday, at the state headquarters.
Sunday said the suspects confessed to have committed the offence levelled against them.
He therefore called on members of the public to be a part of the efforts aimed at safeguarding critical national assets in their neighbourhood by reporting activities of vandals to the corps.
Also, a 40-year-old Sodiq Oriola Ayanleye was paraded for collecting the sum of N13,000,000 from one Samuel under the pretence of helping him to buy five plots of land at Ikorodu, Lagos State.
According to the corps chief, the suspect, Ayanleye, while making his confessional statement, said he collected the said amount but could not account for what he used the money for.
Sunday said obtaining money under false pretence contravenes Section 419 of the Criminal Code of Conduct and Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences 2006.
He assured members of the public that the suspects would be prosecuted in a court of competent jurisdiction to serve as deterrent to others.
