By Adedapo Adesanya
To reduce the menace of electricity equipment vandalism, another Nigerian electricity distribution company, Jos Electricity Distribution Company, has tasked communities to engage the services of vigilante groups in its franchise states.
The Managing Director of the distribution company, Mr Abdu Mohammed, hinted that this could be a lasting solution to the incessant destruction of its facilities.
The energy firm has been battling hard to stop the vandalisation of its transformers and other equipment installed to make electricity get to consumers.
According to reports, these activities are sometimes carried out by former workers of the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), who understand the workings of energy distribution companies.
To curb this, Mr Mohammed has charged residents to recruit vigilantes in their localities to checkmate the ugly incidents, promising that the Jos DisCo will support any community that will take the move in their four franchise states.
Speaking when some communities in Plateau State, Kwang and Mangu Hali paid a courtesy call to him, Mr Mohammed said the best solution to catch these thieves is for residents to take ownership of electricity installations in their localities.
According to the spokesperson of the company, Mr Friday Adakole Elijah, Mr Mohammed appealed to his guests to, “Help us to secure our facilities against vandalism. You can see that about 18 communities are currently having various cases of vandalism.”
He described the situation as a very serious problem, adding that it posed a lot of security challenges to the structure of the company and society at larger.
“It creates security, social and economic convulsion”, he said, “This is a very serious problem. It is deepening into our resources. It is a thorn in our flesh.”
“Every day, there are cases of vandalism on our network. We will support the vigilantes to help us in curbing the menace,” he added.
This latest call by Mr Mohammed is coming after Ikeja Electric Distribution Company proposed that the buyers of stolen electrical items should be prosecuted alongside vandals so as to deter others from the act.
This was one of its requests during a meeting with the new commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for Lagos, Mr Usman Ishaq Alfadadarai, recently.
Modupe Gbadeyanka