By Tony Adibe
The Enugu State Police Command said that its operatives arrested a 23-year-old suspected transformer vandal, identified as Nnaji Chidiebere, after he was found unconscious with various degrees of burns while purportedly vandalising a transformer along Ogbaike Road, Obollo-Afor, Udenu Local Government Area.
A press release issued by the Police Public Relations Officer PPRO SP Daniel Ndukwe indicated that the arrest of the suspect followed credible information from community members that he had been discovered at about 2:20 p.m. on 17th August 2026, “trapped inside the transformer” while allegedly attempting to vandalise it.
Ndukwe said that when they received the information, operatives of the Command attached to Udenu Police Division promptly rushed to the scene and found the suspect unconscious with various degrees of burns. “He was immediately evacuated to a nearby hospital, where he was resuscitated and subsequently referred to a specialist hospital for further treatment,” said the PPRO in the press release.
He said that when the suspect regained consciousness, he identified himself as Nnaji Chidiebere and stated that he had been alone at the scene. According to Ndukwe, preliminary investigation, however, has linked him to transformer vandalism in the area.
“Further investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of his activities, identify possible accomplices, and facilitate his prosecution,” Ndukwe said in the press release. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, lauded the community members for their prompt intervention and information, which enabled the Police to respond swiftly, rescue and arrest the suspect.
He reiterated the Command’s firm commitment to protecting critical public infrastructure and urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information on suspicious activities.
