Ikeja Electric Plc (IE), Nigeria’s leading electricity distribution company, has raised the alarm over the increasing cases of vandalism targeting its infrastructure.
The company has also announced the arrest of two individuals allegedly involved in a recent act of sabotage, further highlighting the growing threat to its operations and service delivery.
The company, in a statement signed by its Head of Corporate Communications, Kingsley Okotie, noted these challenges during a recent stakeholder engagement.
“Ikeja Electric, Nigeria’s leading electricity distribution company, restates her commitment to effective and efficient service delivery in the New Year 2025 amidst concerns about the rate of vandalism of its installations across the state in the year 2024 which resulted in service disruptions to some of our esteemed customers,” the statement said.
Okotie emphasized that the increasing acts of vandalism, particularly in the Epe community and surrounding areas, are undermining the efforts to provide a reliable power supply.
The company noted that legitimate customers and law-abiding citizens were being deprived of access to electricity due to these criminal activities.
Arrests and prosecution of suspects
The IE spokesman referred to an incident at Ikorodu, precisely on Saturday, 14th September 2024, where the company’s Ariel Bundle Cable (ABC) which is an integral part of the newly introduced Intelligence Data Box (IDB) technology solution for pre-paid meters was vandalized.
The cable was cut and the insulation of the ABC got damaged, while a new service wire was illegally connected to steal electricity into an apartment in Jubilee Estate, Odogunyan, Ikorodu, Lagos State.
Following a thorough investigation, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrested and later arraigned Akintola Monsurat Olayinka & Obigbo Moses (the Defendants) at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on 11th December 2024 and were charged on a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit an offence by unlawfully tampering with, damaging and meddling with an Ariel Bundle Cable, property of Ikeja Electric Plc by cutting it in order to steal energy and unlawfully tampering, damaging and meddling with Ariel Bundle Cable contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 1 (10) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004, and the case was adjourned to the 28th of January 2025 for trial.
Okotie called on the public, community leaders, traditional institutions, and security agencies to assist in combating vandalism and energy theft.
He noted that these illegal activities not only disrupt the power supply but also drain resources required to repair damaged infrastructure and recover lost revenue.
“The need for collaboration cannot be overstated. We lose substantial resources to replace stolen and damaged equipment, not to mention the revenue losses due to service interruptions. We appeal to all stakeholders to join hands with us to protect our assets and report such criminal acts,” he said.
Ikeja Electric has set up independent communication channels to enable the public to report vandalism and energy theft anonymously. Okotie encouraged customers to leverage these platforms to protect their communities and the company’s infrastructure.
Ikeja Electric also restated its plans to work closely with security agencies and community stakeholders in 2025 to bolster its fight against vandalism. By intensifying public engagement and leveraging technology, the company aims to ensure that power supply becomes more reliable for all its customers.
What you should know
- In December 2024, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission ordered Ikeja Electric to create subsidiaries in the Lagos electricity market to improve power service delivery in the state.
- The Electricity Act 2023 decentralized the hitherto centralized Nigeria’s power sector, giving states the autonomy to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity.
- Lagos State, having fulfilled the legal requirements, had formally requested the transfer of regulatory authority from NERC to the newly-set up Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC).
- In response, NERC issued an order mandating the incorporation of new subsidiaries by Eko Disco and Ikeja Electric to manage intrastate electricity supply and distribution exclusively within Lagos State.
