Vandalization of installations is our major problem in distribution of electricity – JEDC Operating Officer
By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
The Jos Electric Distribution Plc has lamented that vandalization of installations is the major hindrance to its effective and efficient service delivery to the customers resulting in huge revenue loss to the organization.
The assertion was made by the JED State Operating Officer in Bauchi State, Dr. Abubakar Ibrahim while speaking with Journalists on the activities of the vandals on the company’s assets.
He stated that there are a lot of negativity whenever there is any act of vandalism of JEDC installations which may lead to destruction of properties through fire incidents and even deaths.
The JEDC Operating Officer added that whenever there is vandalism, critical services such as hospitals, schools, production lines and other small scale businesses are affected leading to revenue losses as money will have to be used to seek alternatives for power source.
Abubakar Ibrahim stressed that JEDC is doing everything possible to ensure constant power supply to its customers based on what it gets from the transmission company but appealed for support by the customers by way of protecting the company’s installations.
He disclosed that in the recent months, JEDC has suffered not less than Thirty acts of vandalisation of its facilities across the areas of operations a development he lamented is causing serious setbacks for the company.
He therefore alerted JEDC customers across Bauchi State over the persistent attacks on its electricity supply cables, transformers and other installations lamenting the huge revenue loss, cost of repairs and other negative impacts within its franchise areas.
Ibrahim Abubakar stressed the need for communities to stand up to protect all JEDC facilities in their areas from the vandals saying that, “The communities should take the installations as theirs because if there is any damage, they are the first victims before it gets to us.”
According to him, the affected communities will be in darkness until such a time JEDC is able to fix the damage which cost huge sum of money stressing that, there is a need of synergy.
The JED’s Bauchi State Operating Officer, commended the security agencies for bringing the perpetrators to justice, saying that the Company would deepen collaboration with the community to enlighten them on the security of the power cables and transformers.
According to him, “We urge the customers to play the role of security in their various communities. This act puts more financial burden on us as a company, it has economic loss to our customers as well and talking of the danger associated with vandalism, it cannot be measured.”
He then disclosed said that about 11 suspects are with the Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Speaking to Journalists during the parade of the suspects at the Command headquarters, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Ahmed Wakili said that the suspects were arrested from various areas in the State.
He added that one of them was arrested after he personally reported a crime case in his apartment in Kirfi, but Police investigation linked him with cable vandalisation in the area.
According to him, “Three suspects were nabbed while another receiver linked to the crime. The investigation is still ongoing, we shall charge them to court after our investigation.”
Also, NSCDC investigating officer, DSC Sani Ayuba said that Seven suspects are currently facing trial for vandalisation of electricity cables from different parts of the state.
“We have One of the suspects who is currently receiving treatment after suffering electrocution. His skin was badly burnt. He was vandalising the electric transformer part before the spark,” he said.
One of the suspects, Aliyu Yunusa from Kirfi local government area of Bauchi, while answering questions from journalists at the Police Headquarters, said he is a blacksmith, admitted to have vandalised JED’s armoured cables as raw materials to make pots for sale.
“I was arrested in Bara for vandalising electric cables. I have not been into this kind of crime before. In fact, I regret going into it. I am a blacksmith, I used this as my raw materials to make pots.”
Another suspect, Hamza Muhammad, 17 years old motorcycle mechanic said that he went into the crime to feed because his current occupation could not cater for him. “I regret this, I have brought shame to my family and the community.”
Asked whether he was not scared of electrocution, he said that he had committed the crime three times and was always targeting areas where there is power outage.
Another suspect, Al-Amin Ibrahim who identified himself as an aluminium cable buyer from the suspects, said that he is a blacksmith who purchases the aluminium scraps from scavengers per kilogramme.
According to him, “I buy the cable and alloy wheels per kg. They normally bring it to me for sale but I don’t steal.”
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