Ikeja Electrical Plc (IE), Nigeria’s main electrical energy distribution firm, has raised the alarm over the growing instances of vandalism concentrating on its infrastructure.
The corporate has additionally introduced the arrest of two people allegedly concerned in a latest act of sabotage, additional highlighting the rising risk to its operations and repair supply.
The corporate, in an announcement signed by its Head of Company Communications, Kingsley Okotie, famous these challenges throughout a latest stakeholder engagement.
“Ikeja Electrical, Nigeria’s main electrical energy distribution firm, restates her dedication to efficient and environment friendly service supply within the New Yr 2025 amidst considerations concerning the fee of vandalism of its installations throughout the state within the yr 2024 which resulted in service disruptions to a few of our esteemed clients,” the assertion mentioned.
Okotie emphasised that the growing acts of vandalism, notably within the Epe neighborhood and surrounding areas, are undermining the efforts to supply a dependable energy provide.
The corporate famous that respectable clients and law-abiding residents had been being disadvantaged of entry to electrical energy resulting from these legal actions.
Arrests and prosecution of suspects
The IE spokesman referred to an incident at Ikorodu, exactly on Saturday, 14th September 2024, the place the corporate’s Ariel Bundle Cable (ABC) which is an integral a part of the newly launched Intelligence Knowledge Field (IDB) know-how resolution for pre-paid meters was vandalized.
The cable was lower and the insulation of the ABC bought broken, whereas a brand new service wire was illegally linked to steal electrical energy into an house in Jubilee Property, Odogunyan, Ikorodu, Lagos State.
Following an intensive investigation, the Nigerian Safety and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrested and later arraigned Akintola Monsurat Olayinka & Obigbo Moses (the Defendants) on the Federal Excessive Courtroom, Ikoyi, Lagos on eleventh December 2024 and had been charged on a two-count cost of conspiracy to commit an offence by unlawfully tampering with, damaging and meddling with an Ariel Bundle Cable, property of Ikeja Electrical Plc by slicing it in an effort to steal vitality and unlawfully tampering, damaging and meddling with Ariel Bundle Cable opposite to Part 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Legal guidelines of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable underneath Part 1 (10) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Legal guidelines of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004, and the case was adjourned to the twenty eighth of January 2025 for trial.
Okotie known as on the general public, neighborhood leaders, conventional establishments, and safety companies to help in combating vandalism and vitality theft.
He famous that these unlawful actions not solely disrupt the ability provide but additionally drain assets required to restore broken infrastructure and recuperate misplaced income.
“The necessity for collaboration can’t be overstated. We lose substantial assets to interchange stolen and broken tools, to not point out the income losses resulting from service interruptions. We attraction to all stakeholders to hitch arms with us to guard our property and report such legal acts,” he mentioned.
Ikeja Electrical has arrange unbiased communication channels to allow the general public to report vandalism and vitality theft anonymously. Okotie inspired clients to leverage these platforms to guard their communities and the corporate’s infrastructure.
Ikeja Electrical additionally restated its plans to work carefully with safety companies and neighborhood stakeholders in 2025 to bolster its combat towards vandalism. By intensifying public engagement and leveraging know-how, the corporate goals to make sure that energy provide turns into extra dependable for all its clients.
What it is best to know
- In December 2024, the Nigerian Electrical energy Regulatory Fee ordered Ikeja Electrical to create subsidiaries within the Lagos electrical energy market to enhance energy service supply within the state.
- The Electrical energy Act 2023 decentralized the hitherto centralized Nigeria’s energy sector, giving states the autonomy to generate, transmit, and distribute electrical energy.
- Lagos State, having fulfilled the authorized necessities, had formally requested the switch of regulatory authority from NERC to the newly-set up Lagos State Electrical energy Regulatory Fee (LASERC).
- In response, NERC issued an order mandating the incorporation of recent subsidiaries by Eko Disco and Ikeja Electrical to handle intrastate electrical energy provide and distribution solely inside Lagos State.
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