Two former National Electricity Power Authority (NEPA) employees were detained by Oyo state police on suspicion of stealing a transformer.
The two former NEPA personnel were detained by the command's anti-crime patrol as a result of reliable information concerning their activities, according to the state's police spokesperson, Adewale Osifeso.
The suspects, according to Mr Osifeso, were detained on Saturday at around 2:00 p.m. in the Aroje neighbourhood of Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
Along with the former NEPA employees, he claimed that five additional people had been detained in connection with the alleged transformer theft.
One large transformer, worth N5 million, and the Toyota DAINA truck used to transport it, according to Mr. Osifeso, were taken from the suspects.
The spokesperson said the suspects confessed to having removed the transformer from where it was installed for onward movement to their criminal receiver in Lagos State.
He said the men are suspected of being responsible for similar criminal activities in various parts of Oyo State and its neighbouring states.
Also arrested were a bricklayer, a hunter and one other, who disguised as military officers by wearing military camouflage uniforms and other accoutrements to attack and rob unsuspecting public members at Ajoda and Egbeda axis in Ibadan.
Mr Osifeso said the suspects were arrested on Thursday at about 10:30 a.m. in military gear for their operation, while one was found in possession of a single-barrel gun.
He said exhibits recovered from the suspects included military shorts, one Fulani turban, one red beret and one dagger.
The police also arrested a 25-year-old suspect, who masterminded the plot to kidnap his elder brother and later collected N1.5 million from the brother after a series of threat calls to his brother through three of his accomplices.
(NAN)