A middle-aged man was, in the early hours of Tuesday, electrocuted while trying to vandalise a BEDC transformer on Airport Road in Benin.

The deceased, whose identity has not yet been ascertained, was said to have succeeded in cutting some of the cables before he was electrocuted.

The incident drew the ire of passers-by, as many were seen raining curses on the deceased for causing a power outage in the area.

One of the residents of the area, Emmanuel James, blamed the action of the deceased on a get-rich-quick syndrome.

Speaking at the scene of the incident, the BEDC Electricity Plc’s acting spokeswoman, Evelyn Gbiwen, decried what she called an incessant act of energy theft and vandalism of the company’s facilities.

BEDC’s franchise states include Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti.

Ms Gbiwen called on people to desist from vandalising the company’s transformers, stressing that this could significantly impact the community. She expressed regret that, in spite of BEDC’s regular warnings to the public to desist from vandalism and energy theft, many still indulged in the dangerous acts.

“This singular act of the vandal has thrown the entire community into total darkness,” Ms Gbiwen said.

She appealed to residents to be vigilant and protect BEDC’s facilities from vandals so that the company could better serve them.

(NAN)