Ikeja Electric Decries Incessant Vandalism, Calls For Public Support To Protect Infrastructure

Ikeja Electric Decries Incessant Vandalism, Calls for Public Support to Protect Infrastructure

– By majorwavesen

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Ikeja Electric Decries Incessant Vandalism, Calls for Public Support to Protect Infrastructure

Ikeja Electric Plc (IE), one of Nigeria’s leading electricity distribution companies, has reiterated its commitment to delivering efficient and reliable power supply in 2025. This comes amidst growing concerns over the increasing rate of vandalism of its installations across Lagos State in 2024, which led to service disruptions affecting numerous customers.

Rising Vandalism Threatens Service Delivery

During a recent stakeholder engagement, Kingsley Okotie, the Head of Corporate Communications at Ikeja Electric, expressed alarm over the escalating vandalism, particularly in the Epe community and its surrounding areas. He emphasized the socio-economic impact of such criminal acts, noting that they deprive law-abiding citizens and businesses of reliable electricity supply.

Okotie highlighted a specific incident in Ikorodu on September 14, 2024, where the company’s Ariel Bundle Cable (ABC), an integral component of the new Intelligence Data Box (IDB) technology for prepaid meters, was vandalized. Vandals cut the cable, damaged its insulation, and illegally connected a new service wire to steal electricity in Jubilee Estate, Odogunyan, Lagos State.

Legal Action Against Vandals

Following an investigation, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrested two suspects, Akintola Monsurat Olayinka and Obigbo Moses. The defendants were arraigned at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, on December 11, 2024, facing charges under the Miscellaneous Offences Act. They were accused of conspiracy, unlawful tampering, and damaging Ikeja Electric’s property. The case has been adjourned to January 28, 2025, for trial.

Call for Public Support and Collaboration

Okotie passionately appealed to community members, traditional institutions, and security agencies to assist in combating vandalism and energy theft by exposing culprits and protecting the company’s assets. He stressed that unchecked vandalism results in prolonged power outages and disrupts economic activities, which adversely affects the larger society.

“The need to collaborate with security agencies and other stakeholders cannot be overemphasized. We lose significant resources in replacing stolen or damaged assets and the revenue lost due to interrupted power supply,” Okotie stated.

He urged customers to utilize Ikeja Electric’s whistleblowing platform to report cases of energy theft and vandalism while assuring the safety of whistleblowers.

Commitment to a Brighter Future

Ikeja Electric remains committed to addressing the challenges posed by vandalism and improving service delivery in 2025. The company continues to invest in innovative solutions like the Intelligence Data Box (IDB) to enhance operational efficiency and ensure customers enjoy uninterrupted power supply.