A tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Monday at the New Airport community in Calabar South, Cross River State, as a suspected electricity cable vandal was electrocuted while attempting to steal electrical components from a Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) pole.

The incident reportedly took place around 2:30 a.m. near the Poultry Farm axis of the community. Eyewitnesses say the man was seen with a torchlight, moving suspiciously around the PHEDC installations shortly before the power supply was interrupted.

An eyewitness, Harrison Etim, told The Guardian that the suspect was spotted around 2:00 a.m. milling around the electrical installation, unaware that he had the intention of carrying out such an act of sabotage.

“I initially thought he was a member of the local vigilance group, so I didn’t raise the alarm,” Etim said. “But I noticed he was getting closer to the electric poles. As soon as public power supply was interrupted, I got a bit nervous and decided to drive straight home, but about five minutes after arriving home, power was restored by PHEDC.

“I suspect he climbed the pole as soon as the lights went off, assuming it was safe. But unfortunately for him, power was immediately restored, and he got electrocuted while attempting the theft,” he explained.

By morning, residents discovered the man’s lifeless body suspended between two electric poles. Community members have since launched an effort to identify the victim and determine where he came from.

“At least one of them has been caught,” said a local resident who declined to be named. “We’ve been in darkness for weeks because of the activities of these vandals.”

The PHEDC and local authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the incident.