It is believed that the deceased was electrocuted while attempting to cut armoured cables, as power supply was restored while he was still in contact with the live wires.
Tragedy struck in the early hours of Friday when the lifeless body of an alleged vandal was discovered inside an Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) distribution transformer enclosure on Missionary Avenue, Coal Camp, Enugu.
It is believed that the deceased was electrocuted while attempting to cut armoured cables, as power supply was restored while he was still in contact with the live wires.
The Head of Corporate Communications at EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, released a statement confirming the incident, describing it as "tragic and very unfortunate".
"The identity of the suspect has not been released, pending further investigation," Ezeh said.
Ezeh lamented the increasing rate at which vandals attack electricity installations within EEDC's network daily.
"This is a development that has adversely impacted not just the quality of service to its customers but also its revenue."
He further said that vandalism had been a big challenge to the company, and there was no way this could be addressed without the support of critical stakeholders.
“It is a battle we all have to fight collectively because once these transformers are vandalised, customers who are served by the installation will be greatly affected,” Ezeh said.
He therefore appealed to customers to join hands with the company to ensure that these facilities within their neighbourhoods are protected.