The police in Ebonyi has apprehended the traditional ruler of Ipene community in the Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State, Chief Paulinus Ogbor, who connived with a retired police officer, identified as Onugh, to steal three transformers.
The spokesperson for the command, DSP Loveth Odah, said the two were arrested by men of the 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Calabar, at Unwana in the Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on Friday, and were handed over to the police for further investigation.
Herald Nigeria gathered that the transformers belonged to the Umuolo, Etana, Ubum, Edu, Ibini, Afono, Urugbam, Ipene and Egbor communities in the Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State.
Narrating the incident, a source from the Nigerian Army said, “Chief Paulinus from the Ipene community came and met us here. I was already sleeping when he came. Before then, I had told my boys that I didn’t want to see them because I knew their problem. He came with the OC Mopol and the officer called me and said the chief wanted to see me.
“They said there was going to be an attack on the community and I said I would find out. Secondly, the chief said he had transformers under his care and that the contractor wanted to carry them and that I should allow my boys not to disturb them.
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“I said okay, the transformers are under your care and since the contractor you are talking about has papers that he actually owns the transformers, no problem and that if the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) people were aware of the transformers, then our men would allow them to go.
“That very night, they left with the transformers, but I got a call that the police intercepted them at Unwana in Ebonyi State. I said how? They said the whole thing was suspicious. Later, another person called and said they had gone to steal the transformers belonging to communities in the Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State.”
The Ebonyi State Police Command said the suspects had been moved to the Zone 6 headquarters in Calabar for further investigation.