Two individuals, Chinonso Chinaemelu (27) and Okoye Chisom Christian (20), have been sentenced to one-year imprisonment by the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Awka, Anambra State. They were convicted for vandalizing a distribution substation owned by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC, EEDC.
Emeka Ezeh, the Head of Corporate Communications at EEDC, announced this development in a statement released on Thursday. The arrests occurred on November 29, 2023, when the Abatete local vigilante group apprehended the culprits while they were in the process of vandalizing the substation in their vicinity.
During the same week, a couple known as Mr. and Mrs. Ebuka Umeh was also taken into custody by members of the Isuorji community neighborhood security in Orlu, Imo State. They were caught attempting to collect the stolen items from an EEDC distribution substation using their motorcycle.
According to Ebuka’s confession, they had been targeting the substation for three days, with the stolen items being sold to scrap dealers. The suspects have been handed over to the Orlu Police Division for further investigation, and efforts are underway to apprehend the scrap dealers involved.
Another suspect, Chukwuebuka Ezike from Umunachi in Orsu Local Government Area, Imo State, was apprehended by the Umuezinachi community neighborhood watch while attempting to cut aluminum conductors near Orie Uguiri Market.
In a separate incident, Amara Joseph Ajagbo was arrested in Amachi-Izhia, Ebonyi State, for vandalizing nine spans of aluminum conductors in their community. Two other members of his gang managed to escape, and Ajagbo has been handed over to the authorities for further investigation.
Ezeh expressed concern over the increasing rate of vandalism in the EEDC network, highlighting it as a significant challenge that hinders the company’s operations. He disclosed that since January 2022, there have been over 170 cases of vandalism reported, leading to the arrest of approximately 135 suspects, with more than 100 facing charges in court.
The company remains committed to prosecuting the offenders and tracking down those who deal in stolen items, as they serve as an incentive for vandals. The financial burden of repairing vandalized infrastructure is straining the organization and impacting service delivery to its customers.
Commending the judiciary for the verdict, Ezeh hopes it will deter others from engaging in similar criminal activities. He also expressed gratitude to the communities that have collaborated with EEDC to combat vandalism and urged others to join in these efforts to prevent power outages for consumers.