The Ibadan Electricity Company Plc says more than 38 of its transformers were vandalised in four months, from January to April 2020, amounting to 1154.9 Mwh undelivered energy.
It also expressed concerns over incessant cases of vandalism on its installations across its network.
The IBEDC Chief Operating Officer, John Ayodele, said on Thursday that replacing the installations would cost millions of naira, adding it was counterproductive and detrimental to business operation.
Ayodele said: “For instance, in Olulana Community under Ijeun Business hub, the 300 KVA transformer has been vandalised several times.
“Also in Ogun, Victory 500 KVA transformer in Mowe Community was vandalised on different occasions.
“The transformers at Iragbiji and Orororowu Communities under Ikirun Business hub in Osun, were dismantled by vandals, leaving people of the areas in total darkness for months.”
Ayodele said some vandals also carted away cables of 330KVA and 500 KVA transformers at Surulere and Kuponniyi substations in Oyo State.
He said the activities of the vandals had plunged a lot of households, businesses and communities into darkness, which cost the company huge revenue losses.
“These vandals mostly target transformers and up-riser cables worth millions of naira,” Ayodele said.
He decried the development, noting that vandalism on the company’s assets was becoming alarming and depriving legitimate customers of their rights to steady power supply.
The chief operating officer, therefore, urged community leaders, youths’ associations and security agencies to work with IBEDC in ensuring protection of electrical installations within their communities.
He encouraged the vigilance groups and all patriotic members of the communities with useful information to report cases or culprits of vandalism promptly.
The IBEDC official said the company would continue to partner with the security agencies to track the vandals and prosecute them.
“It is no longer business as usual; anyone caught will have his or her day in court,” he said.
Ayodele further warned that offenders and collaborators in the crime, when apprehended, risk jail terms.
He said that IBEDC had so far secured 25 judgments against vandals.
Ayodele said though no IBEDC staff had been found culpable in the cases of vandalism, management would not hesitate to prosecute any staff found guilty.
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