One of the four convictsÂ
The High Court of Ebonyi State, Afikpo Judicial Division, has sentenced four men – Ikechukwu Esseh, Ikedinachi Uche, Ukpai Godwin, and Uchenna Kalu – to seven years imprisonment for vandalizing electricity infrastructure belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC).
Delivering judgment at the Afikpo Judicial Division, Hon. Justice Nicholas E. Nwode found the convicts guilty on a three-count charge of conspiracy, vandalism, and stealing. They were arrested on November 28, 2023, after attacking a 7.5MVA Injection Substation located on Education Board Road, Afikpo, in Afikpo North Local Government Area, Ebonyi State.
EEDC’s Group Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, disclosed the development on Wednesday in Enugu. According to him, the presiding judge, after reviewing all evidence and noting the rising cases of electricity asset vandalism in Afikpo, sentenced the accused to five years imprisonment on count one, seven years on count two, and five years on count three, to run concurrently without an option of fine.
The management of EEDC hailed the judgment, describing it as a victory for the protection of Nigeria’s power infrastructure and a deterrent to future offenders. “We commend the judiciary for this judgement and hope it sends a strong message to those planning such criminal acts,” Ezeh said. He also praised the Afikpo General Youth President and the Afikpo Task Force Team for their swift action in apprehending the vandals, calling it a prime example of community collaboration in safeguarding electricity supply.
Ezeh urged customers to remain vigilant and protect electricity installations in their communities, warning that vandalism directly causes service disruption and diverts scarce resources from improving power distribution. “Funds spent replacing vandalised equipment could have been used to enhance service delivery,” he lamented. GMTNewsng
