Nigeria’s leading electricity distribution company, Ikeja Electric Plc, has promised to intensify its fight against vandals, making it one of its core focus for the year.
The energy firm expressed concerns about the rate of vandalism of its installations across the state in the year 2024 which resulted in service disruptions to some of its esteemed customers.
According to Mr Kingsley Okotie, Head of Corporate Communications at Ikeja Electric Plc, this concern was expressed during a stakeholder engagement held recently.
The company highlighted that the rise in vandalism of the company’s assets especially in Epe community and its environs is not only alarming but more worrisome is the fact that law-abiding citizens and legitimate customers are being deprived access to reliable power supply with its attendant impact on the socio-economic activities of businesses and livelihoods.
The spokesman referred to an incident at Ikorodu, precisely on Saturday, September 14, 2024, where its Ariel Bundle Cable (ABC), which is an integral part of the newly introduced Intelligence Data Box (IDB) technology solution for pre-paid meters, was vandalised.
The cable was cut and the insulation of the ABC got damaged, while a new service wire was illegally connected to steal electricity into an apartment in Jubilee Estate, Odogunyan, Ikorodu, Lagos State.
Following a thorough investigation, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrested and later arraigned Akintola Monsurat Olayinka and Obigbo Moses (the Defendants) at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on December 11, 2024.
The defendants were charged on a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit an offence by unlawfully tampering with, damaging and meddling with an Ariel Bundle Cable, property of Ikeja Electric Plc by cutting it to steal energy and unlawfully tampering, damaging and meddling with Ariel Bundle Cable contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 1 (10) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004, and the case was adjourned to the 28th of January 2025 for trial.
Mr Okotie appealed passionately to members of the public, community groups, traditional institutions and security operatives to deliberately assist Ikeja Electric in the fight against vandalism and energy theft by exposing their hideouts within their respective communities.
He also promised that the company would intensify its efforts to protect its assets, as the vandals’ unchecked activities will continue to cause unpleasant situations of power outages and disruptions of economic activities within the larger society.
“The need to collaborate and partner with security agencies and other critical stakeholders in stemming this unfortunate tide cannot be overemphasized.
“We are losing a lot of resources to these infractions both in replacing the stolen and damaged items and the revenue that would have accrued if the supply wasn’t interrupted.
“We encourage the use of our independent channels of communications that enables the public to report the activities of these vandals and energy thieves, anywhere without compromising the safety of the whistleblower,” he said, reiterating the organisation’s commitment to effective and efficient service delivery in the New Year 2025.