8 persons apprehended for vandalizing EEDC facilities

About eight persons have been apprehended again in different parts of the South-Eastern zone of the country over vandalization of facilities which belong to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, PLC, EEDC.

Mr. Emeka Ezeh, the Head of Corporate Communications, EEDC, while confirming the incident, related the disruptions of service recorded in some parts of its zone to activities of vandals.

Ezeh through a statement on Thursday, condemned the rate of increase in vandalism and said it had negatively affected the service delivery of the company to its customers.

He also thanked the critical stakeholders for their security support.

Ezeh said: “Within the same period, with the assistance of security men attached to Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Ifeanyi Onwe and Anthony Oselebe, were arrested for vandalizing a substation belonging to EEDC situated along Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, by Pioneer Students Hostel.

“Earlier in the month, at Uzuakoli, Abia State, the Ngwu relief distribution substation belonging to EEDC was attacked by vandals, and the upriser cable carted away, but with the intervention of Uzuakoli vigilante group, one of the vandals identified as Henry Nwachukwu was arrested, while three of his colleagues took to their heels. Efforts are being made by the police to arrest the fleeing suspects.

“At Eziafor, Abia State, some members of vigilante group arrested the duo of Kingsley Uko Agwu and Ebere Ofia Uchendu, while vandalizing a feeder panel, property of EEDC,” he disclosed.

“Similarly, the Nkpor vigilante group arrested one Ubaka Okafor for vandalizing Umusiome distribution substation, property of EEDC, carting away three Intermediate Cables, as well as the upriser cable.

“All the customers being fed by the attacked substations are currently subjected to blackout and untold inconveniences, and as a result, EEDC has not been able to live up to its responsibility owing to these acts perpetrated by the suspects”, Ezeh said.