07 September 2015, Enugu – Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, (EEDC), at the weekend lamented the activities of vandals in the area, stressing that it has recorded no fewer than 50 cases of vandalism in 2015 leading to loss of not only hundreds of millions of naira worth of equipment but customer satisfaction due to the outages.
The company in a statement by its Public Affairs Manager, Eugene Aniowo said the activities of vandals have continued to wreck havoc on electricity installations like transformers, meters, poles, injection substations, cables and conductors within the South-east states.
“The Management of the company is alarmed at the rate at which these vandals destroy the company’s assets and condemn homes, businesses, institutions and communities into total electricity blackout,” he said.
He stated that EEDC had expended substantial sums of money on the repairs and replacement of the damaged equipment and on the prosecution of arrested vandals.
“Several EEDC substations and distribution transformers of different capacities ranging from 200KVA to 500KVA have been vandalised. On April 23, 2014, Oluebube Njoku, Osita Ezeugo and Ndidi Ohanwe were arrested for vandalising EEDC equipment.
“Armoured cables were vandalised in Amakpu Agbani, Nkanu West, Enugu State, on May 7, 2014 by Mr. Cyprian Nwachukwu. On July 20, 2014, Mr. Kingsley Precious was apprehended at Orlu Stadium committing same offence. At Eke Obinagu, Emene, Enugu State on August 13, 2014, Mr. Ifeanyi Okoye was also arrested for transformer vandalism.
“In Abaomege, Ebonyi State, Uduma Ama-Iro was arrested on September 2, 2014. Also in September, Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Okoye was apprehended in Ndieze Inyimagu Loko, Izzi, Ebonyi State for same offenses of transformer vandalism.
“On the 23rd day of December, 2014, Mr. Ifeanyi Nwankwo was arrested at New Market Road, Enugu, Enugu State. On February 1, 2015, Aminu Musa, Musa Yusuf, Aminu Yakubu and Ani Sunday were arrested at Independence Layout, Enugu, Enugu State for vandalising armoured cables.
“In March 2015, Salif Samaila and Muhktari Salihu were arrested at Ariaria, Aba District, Abia State. Mr. Friday Ogboji was captured at Ndufu Amuzu on April 3, 2015, as Mr. Akpu Sunday and Odinaka Nwafor were also arrested on June, 24, 2015 at Agbaja Ebia, Izzi, Ebonyi State for transformer vandalism.
“There was also another ugly incident from Ukwunangwu, Uturu, Abia State, where Mr. Bartholomew Alem Echeozor was arrested vandalising a 500KVA – 11/0.415KV Substation on July 31, 2015. Mr. Chidozie Ejiele and Uzondu were arrested at Omukwu, Onicha Nweafor, Ezinihite, Mbaise, Imo State for damaging 24 installations of armoured cables on August 3, 2015.
“Also, the 2.5 MVA, 33/11KV Injection Substation transformer oil was again drained at Uruagu, Nnewi, Anambra State on August 4, 2015. The vandals had earlier in the year and also in 2014, drained over 18 drums of oil from the same injection substation, leaving the transformer feeding about 50 other distribution transformers burnt-out.
“However, while some suspected vandals have been electrocuted to death, some surviving culprits are currently under investigation, while others had bagged different years of jail terms of two, five, and possibilities of 15 and 21 years imprisonment, as the Nigeria Police partners with the community leaders and other law enforcement agencies to ensure the immediate prosecution and delivery of justice, and also to bring an end to this menace.
“The Management of EEDC hereby use this opportunity to advise the general public to desist from activities, such as building or trading under the electricity transmission or distribution lines, transformers, substations and other utility properties, to avoid possible electrocutions, while also soliciting the support and partnership of all the good people of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States in rooting out vandals and vandalism in the South-east.
“Our customers are industrious and hospitable people with rich moral values, enjoining all to join the campaign against vandalism, by sending verifiable reports, via texts, calls or emails of suspected vandals, illegal energy users and accomplices to 08182502588 or [email protected]. All reports are anonymously treated and handled promptly.
“EEDC hereby extends her special thanks to all local, state and federal security agencies, traditional rulers, town union presidents, youth leaders and other opinion leaders for their unrelenting support towards eradicating this menace.
- This Day