Daud Olatunji
The Gombe State Police Command has arrested and paraded the village head of Garin Majidadi in Akko Local Government Area and a councillor representing Kumo East for allegedly stealing and selling a community transformer.
The suspects include Muhammad Majidadi, the village head, Abdullahi M. Panda, the councillor, and Muhammad Sani from Sarkin Yaki Quarters.
The arrests followed reports indicating that the suspects had stolen and sold the transformer, which was essential for providing electricity to their community.
ASP Buhari Abdullahi, the police spokesperson, revealed during the parade of the suspects that credible intelligence from the Akko division led to their apprehension and the recovery of the stolen transformer.
“The transformer was recovered from Garin Majidadi village after investigations confirmed it had been sold for N1.5 million to Bello Ardo Kumo,” ASP Buhari stated.
He assured the public that further investigations were ongoing and that the suspects would face charges in court once the investigations were concluded.
The village head in his defence, provided an explanation for their actions.
He stated that the transformer had been dysfunctional and inactive for over a decade, with many of its parts stolen by vandals over time.
According to Majidadi, after informing their district head about the situation, they decided to sell the remaining parts to raise funds for drilling boreholes, which were critically needed in their community.
He claimed they were in the process of finding a buyer when they were arrested.
Councillor Abdullahi Panda, however, denied giving any authorization for the sale of the transformer.
He acknowledged that Majidadi had informed him of the plan to sell the transformer but claimed he had advised Majidadi to document their intentions and wait until Monday to inform the district head officially.
“He acted without waiting and sold it; that is my knowledge of the situation,” Panda asserted.
The incident has sparked mixed reactions within the community, with some residents expressing shock and disappointment over the alleged theft by their local leaders.
Others, however, are calling for a thorough investigation to understand the full context and motivations behind the sale of the transformer.
The Gombe State Police Command has reiterated its commitment to ensuring justice and maintaining law and order.
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