The Management of Ibadan Electricity company Plc (IBEDC), has expressed concern over incessant cases of vandalism across its network.
Its Chief Operating Officer, Mr. John Ayodele expressed this displeasure in a statement on Friday.
Ayodele said the activities of vandals had plunged a lot of households, businesses, and communities into darkness, while costing the company revenue losses worth millions of naira.
“These vandals mostly target transformers and up-riser cables worth millions of naira,” he said.
He explained that replacing installations worth millions of naira every now and again was counterproductive and detrimental to the business.
He decried the development, noting that the vandalism of the company’s assets was becoming alarming and depriving legitimate customers of their right to steady power supply.
“From January to April 2020, more than 38 transformers have been vandalised amounting to 1154.9 Mwh undelivered energy. For instance, in Olulana community under Ijeun business hub, the 300 KVA transformer has been vandalised several times. Also, in Ogun state, Victory 500 KVA transformer in Mowe community was vandalised on different occasions. The transformers at Iragbiji and Orororowu communities under Ikirun business hub in Osun State were dismantled by vandals, leaving the people in total darkness for months,” he said.
Ayodele also said vandals carted away cables of a 330KVA and a 500 KVA transformer at Surulere and Kuponniyi substations at Oyo state.
He, therefore, urged community leaders, youth associations and security agencies to work with IBEDC in the protection of electrical installations within their communities.
He encouraged vigilance groups and any patriotic member of the communities with useful information to report cases or culprits of vandalism promptly.
He said the company would continue to partner with security agencies to track the vandals and prosecute them.
“It is no longer business as usual, anyone caught will have his or her day in court,” he said.
He further warned that offenders and collaborators in the crime when apprehended would be liable for up to lifetime jail term including the risk of electrocution. He also noted that IBEDC had so far secured 25 judgements against vandals.
Ayodele stated that though no IBEDC staff had been found culpable in these cases of vandalism, however management would not hesitate to prosecute any staff found guilty.
“IBEDC is a company that stands for integrity and has zero tolerance for such nefarious and criminal acts,” he said.
Comment here