By Seun Ibiyemi
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) on Tuesday vowed to jail anybody caught engaging in energy theft, vandalism and illegal metering.
The Managing Director of IBEDC, Mr Kinsley Achife, gave the warning at a stakeholders engagement meeting held in Ijebu Ode on Tuesday.
Achife explained that the action became necessary following incessant cases of energy theft, vandalism and illegal meter usage in the state.
The Managing Director, represented by the Lead Media Officer of IBEDC, Mrs Busolami Tunwase, said that energy theft remains a crime and punishable under the law.
He stated that the meeting with the customers was to seek better working relationships and to particularly appeal to the people to pay their debts.
“We have called this meeting to seek better working relationships with our customers but this we cannot do if they are not paying for the services being rendered.
“The new Electricity Act signed by President Bola Tinubu recommended punishment for energy theft and assault of its officials,” he said.
Achife added that the Electricity Act stated that whoever was caught using illegal power or assaulting IBEDC staff was liable to face the wrath of the law.
He lamented that energy theft, vandalism, and illicit meters had grown the customer’s debts to IBEDC, in Ogun, to over N67 billion, out of which Ijebu Ode area had over N7 billion.
He appealed to customers to desist from tampering of meters, vandalisation of electric installation, saying the offence attracted 21 years imprisonment.
“We want to appeal to the people of Ijebu on energy theft, we are losing billions or Naira to energy theft,” he said.
He advised customers interested in acquiring meters to follow the right channel stipulated by IBEDC, warning that any meter bought outside the recognised company could cause damages.
Achife appealed to the customers to stop beating and maiming the IBEDC staff, saying that they could always report such staff for appropriate disciplinary measures.