The Cross River State Police Command has arrested three more suspects over the alleged theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure in Calabar.
The latest arrests followed the earlier apprehension of 36-year-old Peter Adie, the prime suspect in the alleged vandalism of electricity facilities at Agbo Ntoe Layout, Boulevard Road 2, off Parliamentary Extension, Calabar.
According to the police, operatives expanded their investigation based on information obtained during Adie’s interrogation, leading them to Murtala Mohammed Highway, around Pepsi, and a dumpsite in the Harbour area of the city.
Five individuals were initially arrested for questioning over their suspected involvement in the theft and receipt of electricity materials. However, two of them, identified as Yakubu Musa and Emmanuel Hope, were released after preliminary investigations established that they were not culpable.
The police named the three additional suspects still in custody as Tochukwu Nwogwu, Boniface Egede and Mustapha Isa Aliyu. They remain in detention alongside Adie as investigations continue.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, said the command was following relevant leads to uncover the circumstances surrounding the alleged crime and establish the individual roles of the suspects.
The Commissioner of Police, Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to safeguarding public infrastructure, warning against vandalism and the illegal possession or receipt of stolen electricity materials.
The command also appealed to residents to provide credible information that could assist the investigation and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.