Bayelsa Streetlight Thieves Meet Grizzly Fate as High-Tension Wires Strike
Two individuals met a tragic end in the Ogobiri community, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, when they were electrocuted while attempting to steal solar-powered streetlight poles. Their bodies were discovered early on Saturday morning in an area bordering the New Site of the Niger Delta University and the Ogobiri roundabout.
According to an eyewitness, the thieves had successfully loosened four streetlight poles and were in the process of detaching the fifth pole when disaster struck. As they worked, the pole accidentally fell onto nearby high-tension power lines, and with the current still live, both thieves were electrocuted.
One of the thieves was severely burned and died instantly, while the other was so badly burned that he was reduced to ashes. The charred remains were found at the scene, with some of the ashes still forming a human shape by 11:30 AM.
Local sources indicated that the theft of streetlights had become a recurring problem in the area, and the incident was expected to reduce the rampant crime. The body of one of the thieves was removed and taken to the morgue, while the streetlight poles they had been attempting to steal were left on the roadside.
The Bayelsa State Police Command had not yet issued a formal statement on the incident when contacted for comment. The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Musa Mohammed, told our correspondent that he had not received any official report on the matter.
This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the dangers involved in criminal activities and the increasing incidents of theft targeting public infrastructure, including streetlights, across various communities.
