A suspected cable thief has been killed after hoodlums vandalised power cables at the Dangote Refinery in the Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The hoodlums, who were said to be about 20 invaded the premises of the refinery through the lagoon and were vandalising the power cables when security operatives guarding the refinery spotted them.
The invaders fled the scene but the operatives, who gave them a hot chase, struck one of them down, while others escaped.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the incident said one of the hoodlums, who suffered gunshot wounds, died while being rushed to a hospital for treatment.
He noted that the police command had reinforced security operations to avert further attacks on facilities at the refinery and its environs.
Hundeyin said, “The hoodlums were about 20 and that place is next to the lagoon area, so they approached from the lagoon. A joint team of security operatives sighted them; they took to their heels when they saw that they had been discovered. They were there to steal armoured cables and were caught vandalising the cables.
“But there was a hot pursuit and there was shooting. One of them was hit by a bullet, but others escaped. The one that was hit was being taken to a hospital when he died on the way. The security around that place has been fortified. The incident happened around 11.30am.”