Live wire, dead end: Suspected cable thief electrocuted in Calabar

A suspected vandal met a tragic end in the early hours of Monday after he was electrocuted while attempting to steal electrical cables in Calabar South, Cross River State.

The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on Poultry Street, off New Airport Road. According to eyewitnesses, the unidentified man was tampering with high-tension cables when power supply which had earlier gone off was suddenly restored, electrocuting him on the spot.

Sources said the victim was believed to be a resident of nearby Antigha community. Items found on him included a pair of short socks and a plier commonly used in cable-cutting operations.

When NEWS MEN visited the scene, the man’s lifeless body was still suspended on the high-tension cables as residents gathered to catch a glimpse of the tragic spectacle.

“It’s nemesis,” a resident simply identified as Sylvester remarked. “We’ve contributed money several times to fix transformers and poles, only for vandals like this to destroy them. These are the people sabotaging our efforts.”

As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official statement from law enforcement agencies or the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED).

The incident once again highlights the growing menace of electricity infrastructure vandalism a crime that often comes with deadly consequences.