By Our Correspondent
Some communities in the four Local Government Areas of Akoko in Ondo State have been thrown into darkness, following the vandalisation electric cables meant to illuminate the zone.
The theft of essential social amenity has created untold hardship for artisans in the affected areas who solely depend on electricity to eke out a living.
Checks have revealed that over 15 cases of cable theft took place recently in Okeagbe, Iyoke, and Arigidi, respectively.
The ugly incidents have provoked the deprived residents of Akokoland to set up community guards to watch over the public utilities in their domains.
A community leader at Arigidi Akoko, Chief Adebisi Kura noted that the incessant vandalization is an impediment to rapid economic growth in the affected communities.
He noted that residents are now keeping night vigils to protect their transformers from being stolen.
Chief Adebisi urged communities to form vigilante groups to reduce such ugly incidents, which he described as economic sabotage.
Another community leader, Chief Tayo Origbemisoye, condemned the act and called on communities with transformers to embark on internal security to apprehend the culprits.
Efforts to speak with Ikare Akoko Manager of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) proved abortive at press time.
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