Mkpoikana Udoma 18 October 2014, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHED, says the Rivers State Police Command has arrested four suspected energy thieves in Abuloma area of Port-Harcourt, as part of efforts towards addressing the problem of electricity theft unsettling the company.
The PHED in a statement by its Manager of Corporate Communications, Mr. Jonah Iboma said the event which took place last Friday, came on the heels of series of complaints made by consumers over the incessant by-pass of electricity meters by some of its customers.
According to the statement, “Before the arrest, occupants of No. 7 Iyalla Close in Abuloma had earlier been disconnected by the energy distribution company for default on paying consumed energy bills, illegal reconnection and meter by-pass (diversion of load), which penalties papers were served on the occupants of the buildings, But they rebuffed the entreaties, went ahead to purchase another set of wires and got the place reconnected illegally and even resorted to threatening the lives of the PHED staffs boasting that ‘nothing will happen’”.
Mr. Jonah Iboma in the statement said,”As a result, the estate and other recalcitrant consumers were reported to the law enforcement agency, which led to the arrest of some of the occupants in question.
The PHED in the statement also said that 34 cases of energy theft have been so far recorded at the Trans Amadi Business Unit, while, 30, 51, 71 and 58 other incidents were reported at Rumuola, Rumuodomaya , Ikot-Ekpene and Calabar Business Units, respectively, by some of the licensed areas of the company’s coverage.
The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company in the statement further reiterated its resolve to stop at nothing until the issue of energy theft, which has hampered business growth of the company is stamped out completely, while advising its consumers to desist from such illegal acts.