EKEDC toughens stance against staff assault, equipment theft as two perpetrators arraigned
EKEDC toughens stance against staff assault, equipment theft as two perpetrators are jailed
Oredola Adeola
Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has announced the arrest, police investigation, and arraignment of one Julius John Adeyemi who beat up a staff on duty in the Ijesha area of Surulere, and Nwokocha Emmanuel, stealing in EKEDC’s distribution substation premises at Tincan Port, Festac, Lagos.
Babatunde Lasaki, General Manager, Corporate Communications of EKEDC, made this known in a statement signed, and released to EnergyDay on Thursday.
According to him, the two criminal acts included assault of staff and stealing of distribution equipment, some of the criminal acts of sabotage frequently being perpetrated against the operations of the EKEDC.
Lasaki has therefore charged members of the public to desist from assaulting or preventing the company’s staff from performing their lawful duties. He further vowed that the management of EKEDC will go to the full extent of the law on equipment vandalism and pilferage.
He said, “The two suspects have been arrested, currently facing police investigation, and arraigned before the Court.
“One of them is Julius John Adeyemi who beat up a staff of EKEDC while performing his duties in the Ijesha area of Surulere, Lagos.
” The other is Nwokocha Emmanuel, who was illegally found in a distribution substation premises of the Company at Tincan Port, Festac, Lagos, to steal contrary to section 406 of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011,” the EKEDC’s GM Corporate Communication said.
Lasaki further said “We condemn such callous acts against our staff who go around to discharge their lawful duties. We don’t condone such acts and we advise our customers to use the available channels of redress rather than resorting to self-help.”
“Adeyemi was charged before Mrs Otitoloju of the Magistrate Court 3, Surulere for obstructing the staff from discharging his duties by removing his ladder from an electricity pole and subsequently landing him a blow.
“He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N200,000 with a surety with a tax clearance certificate and a verifiable address. Adeyemi was remanded in the Ikoyi facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
EnergyDay was informed that the second criminal, Nwokocha on the other hand was arraigned before the Magistrate Court 22, Apapa on a two-count charge of breaking and entry with intent to commit felony to with stealing and illegal or unlawful purpose.
He pleaded not guilty to both charges and was granted bail in the sum of #50,000 with two responsible sureties in like sum. Nwokocha was also remanded in the Kirikiri medium facility of the NCS till his bail conditions are fully met.
Lasaki also decried the act of vandalism and stealing of equipment procured by the company to supply electricity to customers.
The EKEDC’s spokesperson said “These are the setbacks we experience in our quest to fulfill our commitment to ensuring zero downtime in electricity supply. We hereby call on our communities and other stakeholders to help safeguard electricity installations around them to put an end to this menace.”
He urged the general public and customers under the company’s network areas to report suspected cases of vandalism to whistleblower@ekedp.com, call 08000033333, or report to the nearest office or Police station.
