By STANLEY NWANOSIKE

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), says at least 170 incidents of electrical installation vandalism were reported within two years and two months in the South-East.

The company also said that about 135 suspected vandals were arrested and handed over to the police at different stations, out of which over 100 have been charged to court from January 2022 till date.

This development was made known by the Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, in a statement on Thursday.

Ezeh noted that last week, a couple identified as Mr. and Mrs. Ebuka Umeh were arrested by members of Isuorji community neighborhood security in Orlu, Imo State, when Umeh’s wife was attempting to pick the vandalized items from a distribution substation with their motorcycle.

He said that the couple attacked the EEDC substation for three days.

According to him, in his confessional statement, Umeh (the husband) testified that the vandalized items were sold to scrap dealers.

“The suspects were handed over to Orlu Police Division for proper investigation, while effort is on to arrest the scrap dealers,” he said.

Ezeh noted that recently a vandal suspect, identified as Chukwuebuka Ezike, who hails from Umunachi in Orsu Local Government Area, Imo State, was arrested by Umuezinachi community neighborhood watch while he was cutting aluminum conductor around Orie Uguiri Market.

“At Amachi-Izhia, Ebonyi State, Joseph Ajagbo was arrested by members of the Electricity Committee for vandalizing nine spans of aluminum conductors in their community, while two of his gang members escaped.

“The suspects have been handed over to the respective Police formations for proper investigation and possible prosecution,” he said.

Ezeh lamented the spate of vandalism in the EEDC network in the South-East, adding that it was a major challenge negatively impacting the smooth operations of the company.

He stressed that the company would not relent in its resolve to prosecute arrested suspects and go all out to fish out receivers of vandalized items as they remained the motivation for the vandals.

The EEDC spokesman noted that it had become difficult for the organization to fund the replacement of vandalized infrastructure, and that “the development is affecting service delivery to customers.”

Ezeh appreciated the various communities that had committed to joining hands with EEDC to curtail activities of vandals and called on others to do the same because once these electricity infrastructures are attacked; customers would be subjected to blackout for a while.

“Customers are therefore advised to be vigilant and not allow installations within their neighborhood to be vandalized, as they will be inconvenienced once this happens,” he added. (NAN)

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