The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has reiterated her readiness in protecting its staff and prosecuting anyone or group that attacks or inflicts harm on them while going about their legitimate duties.

The company also added that it would not relenting in prosecuting those vandalising its electrical installations.

The warning came as His worship J. I. Austine-Okeke, recently, at Oke Uvuru Magistrate Court, Mbaise, Imo State, jailed Chika George (32 years), Simon Nmerole (61 years) and Jonah Eberechi (20 years) to one year imprisonment respectively, without an option of fine, for attacking staff of EEDC attached to Okpofe/Uvuru Service Centre, under Mbaise district, Imo State, unleashing machete cut on one of them while they were on duty.

The incident took place on the 25th of September, 2017, when the apartment of Simon Nmerole was disconnected for nonpayment of electricity bill. On realising this, instead of arranging to pay his bill, he went on to mobilise his cohorts who disrupted activities of the EEDC staff. It was in the process that Chika George rushed to the scene with a machete and inflicted a cut on one of the staff.

This was contained in a statement signed by EEDC’s Head, Communications, Mr Emeka Ezeh, said the trio, who are indigenes of Umuekeugo Ogbor Uvuru in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area, Imo State, were charged and prosecuted on five count charges bordering on assault, threat and conspiracy.

Also, in a related development, His Worship Uzoma Udeze, at the Chief Magistrate’s Court of Oyi Magisterial District, Nteje, Anambra State, sentenced 19-year-old Chukwudi Igboekwuto to two years and six months imprisonment, for attacking a distribution substation belonging to EEDC, located at Genesis Estate, Omife 3-3, Anambra State. The items vandalised from the substation are: 2x5 Meters 500mm 2 Single core cables.

According to Ezeh, it is no longer business as usual for electricity customers who are in the habit of assaulting EEDC staff, and other elements in the society whose job is to vandalise electricity installations, as the company are not relenting in its effort in ensuring that they are apprehended and prosecuted accordingly.

He said Customers are therefore advised to be civil and not take laws into their hands as they should make use of the available customer redress platform across the 18 District offices and 147 Service Centres.

Added that as critical stakeholders, customers should be more vigilant and join hands with EEDC in ensuring that the installations sited in their neighbourhood to serve them are protected. Urging them not to allow the very few elements in the society subject them to darkness.

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