Jelili Gbadamosi
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has called for urgent action against the rising vandalism of electricity infrastructure, revealing that five people have lost their lives in vandalism-related incidents across its franchise areas in the past three years.
IBEDC raised the alarm in a statement signed by its Coordinating Head, Corporate Services, Angela Olanrewaju, on Tuesday.
The company said the destruction and theft of electricity infrastructure had caused substantial financial losses, including revenue losses from unbilled energy that could not be distributed, consumed or billed due to damaged facilities.
It added that the financial impact was compounded by the cost of replacing, repairing and restoring critical infrastructure, including transformers, power cables, conductors, poles and other distribution equipment.
IBEDC also expressed concern over the danger posed to lives and communities by attacks on electricity infrastructure, noting that five people had died in related incidents over the last three years.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of IBEDC, Deolu Ijose, described the growing vandalism as a serious threat to electricity supply, public safety, economic activities and national development.
Ijose said the destruction of power infrastructure was disrupting electricity supply to millions of customers, damaging critical national assets and exposing members of the public to serious safety risks.
According to him, the menace was also undermining the company’s investments in network expansion, service improvement and supply reliability.
He called on security agencies, host communities, traditional institutions, the media and governments at all levels to strengthen collaboration with IBEDC to identify, apprehend and prosecute perpetrators of the criminal acts.
Ijose further urged residents across the company’s franchise areas to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities around power installations, substations, transformers and distribution lines.
The company stressed that electricity infrastructure was a critical national asset and called for collective efforts to protect it from vandalism and theft.
