Jos DISCO Calls for Creation of Special Tribunal for Electricity Vandals

George Okoh in Makurdi

The Managing Director of Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) Plc, Hashim Ibrahim Bakori, has called for the establishment of a special tribunal dedicated to try and convict electricity thieves and vandals of electricity infrastructure in the country.

The call was contained in a statement signed and issued by the Head f Corporate Communications of JEDC, Dr. Friday Adakole Elijah, yesterday.
The Chief Executive Officer of the electricity company also called for the invocation of the Miscellaneous Offences Act (2004 CAP M17) under which electricity criminals could be tried with stiff penalties via the instrumentality of Sections 3, 9 and 10 of the Act.

For proper comprehension of the statute, Section 3 of the act states that: “Any person who unlawfully or with intent to destroy or damage any public property, removes, defaces or damages any public property shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 21 years without the option of a fine.”

Also, Section 9 of the Act states that: “Any person who unlawfully disconnects, removes, damages, tampers, meddles with or in any way whatsoever interferes with any plant, works, cables, wire or assembly of wires designed or used for transforming or converting electricity shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life.”

In the same vein, Section 10 stipulates as that: “Any person who unlawfully disconnects, removes, damages, tampers, meddles with or in any way whatsoever interferes with any electric fittings, meters or other appliances used for generating, transforming, converting, conveyancing, supplying or selling electricity shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 21years.”

Bakori also disclosed that the activities of vandals and electricity thieves were seriously hampering the operations of the energy sector.

According to him, most Discos, especially Jos Electricity Distribution Company, were suffering from the menace of vandalism, saying: “If it is not distribution transformers, cables or feeder pillars, it will be aluminum conductors, and the equipment are very expensive. In fact, vandals have become a thorn in the flesh of Discos in the country.”

The managing director explained that when established, the tribunal would help to stem the tide of vandalism of electricity installations and other ancillary electricity crimes in the country.

He disclosed that between January and July 2021 alone, Jos Disco has had about 170 distribution transformers, copper cables, and aluminum conductors valued at hundreds of millions of naira vandalised.

Bakori stated further that Makurdi, Bauchi and Bukuru have the highest rate of vandalism with 34, 30 and 30 respectively, followed by Gombe 27, Jos Metro 17, Azare 9, Gboko 8 and Otukpo 10.