The PUNCH learnt that the vandals had arrived at the village around 11pm and shot into the air several times to cause panic in the area.
A community source, who first related the development to our correspondent, said the community was thrown into panic because of the heavy shootings from the vandals.
The source, who requested that his name should not be mentioned, said there was no power when the incident happened, adding that the darkness in the area aided the vandalism.
He noted that people of the area thought the shootings were from rampaging cultists, stressing that there has been cult-related activities in the area.
It was gathered that vandals had arrived at the community in a Toyota Hilux, which they used to make away with the transformers.
“The community had six transformers powering it, but the vandals stole four,” the community source said.
When contacted, the Community Development Committee Chairman of Ubima, Mr. Kingdom Elem, confirmed that members of the light committee, who had the keys to the transformers, had been arrested.
Elem said the committee members were being interrogated at Elele Police Divisional headquarters, adding that the CDC, after its next meeting, would come up with solution to reconnect the electricity in the community.
The Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command confirmed the development, saying, however, that the information at his disposal showed that no person had been arrested in connection to the theft.
He said, “The matter was reported, and the police sighted a truck carrying transformers in the Etche axis of the state, but when they got there, they could not see anybody and because of that, nobody was arrested in connection with stolen transformers.”
Punch
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