Two bag jail terms EKEDC arraigns vandals, thieves
Sopuruchi Onwuka
Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has intensified crackdown on vandals and thieves that thrive on line materials and equipment stolen from the company’s installations.
According to the company, a certain Auta Simon has been convicted on the back of his apprehension and arraignment of for stealing armoured cables on Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos.
Auta, whose accomplice identified as Samson Zakari is currently at large, was charged with vandalism and stealing. He reportedly pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to two years imprisonment at the Apapa Magistrate Court while Samson Zakari is still being wanted by the men of the Nigerian Police Force.
Another Jimoh Yesu was also arraigned before the Magistrate Court 2 in Badagry following his arrest while attempting to move a stolen aluminium conductor in the Akpator community around Seme Border in Badagry, Lagos State.
Yesu, on the other hand, has been admitted to bail and is cooling off at the Badagry facility of the Nigerian Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
General Manager, Corporate Communications of EKEDC, Babatunde Lasaki, noted in a statement that vandalism and theft of electricity equipment are the leading causes of power outages and the inability to supply uninterrupted power to customers.
He stated that the crackdown on vandals falls in line with its ongoing fight against vandalism and equipment theft.
He restated the commitment of the company to ensure offenders face the full extent of the law.
He said, “While we commit huge sums of money to purchase standard equipment to improve our infrastructure and provide our customers with stable, reliable and constant electricity, some unscrupulous members of the society go about digging out our cables, removing vital parts of transformers and other equipment for their self-gains, causing outages in our franchise areas. This act makes us spend huge amounts replacing the stolen equipment instead of dedicating that to expanding our network and meeting more demands. It is rather appalling that we have these selfish people around us going against the good of the collective.”
“EKEDC extends its gratitude to law enforcement agencies, stakeholders, and members of the public for their cooperation and support in combating vandalism and equipment theft. The company reaffirms its commitment to working closely with relevant authorities to prevent future occurrences and maintain the integrity of its infrastructure,” Lasaki stated.
He declared that EKEDC encourages members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or incidents of vandalism to the nearest police station.
“Together, we can safeguard our communities and uphold the reliability of our electrical infrastructure,” Lasaki stated.
