Residents expose man allegedly stealing electricity from street light to run ice block factory in Maiduguri

Residents of Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Maiduguri on Tuesday exposed a man simply called Dabarju for running an ice block factory by allegedly stealing power supply from government generator meant for street light in the area.

The Executive Secretary of Borno Geographic Information Service (BOGIS), Mr Adam Bababe, led a team to demolish one of the illegal structures allegedly erected by Dabarju.

The team also evacuated about 20 improvised freezers used in the factory, adding that the illegal act had been perpetrated for long.

“Some said two years, some said three years but we are still investigating.”

Bababe said the act had led to overload and breakdown of two generators used to supply power to street light in the new GRA area.

He lauded those some “good samaritans” for exposing the suspect now in Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) custody.

He urged for sustained support from the public in exposing such characters bent on frustrating government efforts in providing succour to the public.

Some of the residents who spoke on the development, expressed shock at the discovery, pointing out that they had been wondering where the factory was getting electricty for its operations since Maiduguri was experiencing power blackout for over a year.

Mohammed Al-Amin, who was among those that exposed the suspect, claimed that he was offered a bribe of one million Naira by the man to keep quiet but he refused.

“I was the first to notice the illegality and was offered one million naira bribe but I rejected it,” Al-Amin said. (NAN)