In a renewed push to curb rising cases of vandalism of power infrastructure, Ikeja Electric (IE) has convened a stakeholders’ engagement forum in Epe to forge a coordinated response to the menace, which has led to frequent outages and financial losses.

The meeting, held at the Epe Local Council Secretariat, brought together community leaders, the National Youth Council, security agencies, the Epe Local Council, and the Ikosi-Ejirin and Eredo Local Council Development Areas.

Discussions centred on the socio-economic toll of vandalism, including damage to transformers, among others. Ikorodu Business Manager of the firm, Emmanuel Iberuche, while highlighting the scale of the destruction of the infrastructure, said that Ikeja Electric had incurred millions of naira in losses.

“On the Agbowa line, we have lost 4,700 metres of aluminum conductor, and nine cases of distribution transformer vandalism, costing the firm nothing less than N50 million. This is the money that could have been used to improve infrastructure and enhance service delivery,” he said.

He, therefore, urged residents to support the efforts of the firm to secure installations, saying: “We want to work with you to foster a sense of ownership. These assets belong to all of us. Therefore, we must protect them together for a reliable power supply. A small act of vigilance can prevent a major outage and save your community from days of darkness.”

Also, Paul Airoboman, who represented the Chief Security Officer (CSO), said that data from Ikeja Electric’s Chief Security Office showed that vandalism remains rampant in the axis. He said: “Of the 47 vandalism cases Ikeja Electric has experienced this year, Ikorodu Business Unit accounts for 15, six of which occurred in Epe. This is a serious concern. We urge community leaders to collaborate with us by engaging vigilante groups, organising awareness sessions, and reporting security concerns with credible evidence.”

However, Epe Council Chairman, Surah Olayemi Animashaun, assured of the government’s support, linking electricity supply to economic growth.

“The economic growth of Epe is directly tied to a consistent power supply. We will not tolerate criminal acts that undermine our progress. My office will continue to collaborate with law enforcement agencies and community leaders to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.”

Also, Chairman of the Epe Community Development Committee (CDC), Bashorun Abayomi, pledged grassroots support. Youth groups also pledged their involvement. Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State Youth Parliament, Mahruf Odunare, said, as the voice of the youth, we are committed to being ambassadors of this campaign.

The forum concluded with a resolution to form a joint task force to monitor installations, strengthen surveillance, and launch mass sensitisation. The stakeholders expressed confidence that the initiative would significantly reduce vandalism and improve electricity reliability in Epe and neighbouring communities.