TheCable

Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) says it recorded 170 incidents of electrical installation vandalism, and arrested 135 suspects within 26 months, in the south-east region. 

In a statement on Thursday, Emeka Ezeh, EEDC’s spokesperson, said of the 135 suspects, over 100 of them were charged to court from January 2022 to date.

Ezeh said a couple identified as Ebuka Umeh, was arrested by members of Isuorji community neighborhood security, in Orlu area of Imo last week.

Ezeh explained that the couple was arrested when Umeh’s wife was attempting to pick the vandalised items from a distribution substation with their motorcycle, after they had attacked the EEDC substation for three days.

He said Umeh confessed that the vandalised items were sold to scrap dealers.

“The suspects were handed over to Orlu police division for proper investigation, while effort is on to arrest the scrap dealers,” Ezeh said.

“At Amachi-Izhia, Ebonyi state, Joseph Ajagbo was arrested by members of the electricity committee for vandalising nine spans of aluminum conductors in their community, while two of his gang members escaped.

“The suspects have been handed over to the respective police formations for proper investigation and possible prosecution.”

Ezeh decried the spate of vandalism in the EEDC network, noting that it is a major hitch to the smooth operations of the company.

He reiterated the company’s resolve to prosecute arrested suspects and go all out to locate receivers of vandalised items. 

The EEDC spokesperson noted that it has become difficult for the organisation to fund the replacement of vandalised infrastructure, and that “the development is affecting service delivery to customers”.

Ezeh applauded the communities that had committed to helping EEDC curtail activities of vandals, and urged others to follow suit. 

“Customers are therefore advised to be vigilant and not allow installations within their neighborhoods to be vandalized, as they will be inconvenienced once this happens,” he added.