The Cross River State Police Command has arrested three men over the alleged vandalism and theft of streetlight panels and armoured cables at the State Housing Estate in Calabar.
The suspects, identified as Daniel Garuba, 28; Edem Lukas, 24; and Richard Edet, 22, were arrested following an investigation into the incident reported on October 16, 2026.
The command said an electrical consultant to the Cross River State Electrification Agency reported the incident after receiving information about the arrest of persons allegedly linked to the vandalism.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed this in a statement, adding that detectives attached to the State Housing Division acted on the report and arrested the suspects.
He said investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the individual roles of the suspects.
The arrests came amid a separate investigation into the alleged vandalism of a transformer at Agbo Ntoe Layout, off Parliamentary Extension, Calabar.
The police had arrested a 36-year-old suspect, Peter Adie, and other suspects over suspected links to the theft or receipt of electricity materials.
However, the command clarified that the streetlight vandalism and transformer cases were separate investigations, with no established connection between the suspects in the two incidents.
The Commissioner of Police, Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, said the command remained committed to investigating vandalism cases and prosecuting suspects where evidence supported the charges.
He urged residents to report suspicious activities around public infrastructure to the authorities and avoid taking the law into their own hands.
The police said investigations were continuing, adding that the suspects remained presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
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