Suspected cable thief impersonating BEDC staff apprehended

A man posing as a staff member of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has been arrested while allegedly stealing electricity cables in Benin City, Edo State. The suspect, identified as Eden Ubong, was apprehended at the crime scene on Okhoro Road.

According to a press release by Mrs. Evelyn Gbiwen, Head of Branding and Corporate Communications at BEDC Electricity PLC, Ubong was caught vandalizing two substations in the area—a 200kVA substation at Play House and a 500kVA substation at Iyayi. He was reportedly carrying a fake BEDC identity card and found with stolen items, including 7 meters of 70mm² cable from each substation.

In a related incident, another suspect, Eghosa Izevbokun, was arrested for vandalizing multiple substations. Authorities recovered 10 meters of copper wire from a 500kVA power transformer at 3rd Cemetery Road and 20 meters of 500mm² cable from a 500kVA substation at Old Rubber Board Road.

Describing the arrests as a significant achievement in the fight against electricity infrastructure vandalism, Gbiwen highlighted BEDC’s commitment to ensuring the security of its facilities.

“We are resolute in our fight against vandalism, as it not only disrupts operations but also damages our reputation,” Gbiwen said.

She urged local communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity around power substations.

“Together, we can protect our infrastructure and ensure a reliable power supply,” she added.