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PHED bemoans vandalism of electricity equipment

By Sulaimon Salau
15 June 2016   |   2:37 am
The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) has bemoaned the spate of vandalism of electricity equipment in its network.

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The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) has bemoaned the spate of vandalism of electricity equipment in its network.The Manager, Corporate Communications, PHED, Jonah Iboma, made this condemnation while parading a suspected vandal, Ikake Kingsley, who was apprehended while attempting to steal electricity cable at Ikot Ekpene, Akwa-Ibom State.

Three cases of electricity theft and vandalism of transformer armoured cables were witnessed in Uyo town in three different areas recently, this according to him has been a bane in the course of service delivery and huge revenue loss in the PHED.

The suspect, who hails from Ini Local Govt Area of Akwa Ibom State, was apprehended at 1pm on June 5th, 2016.He was reported to have taken advantage of a brief outage situation in the Ephraim Essien Road, GRA of Ikot Ekpene and entered into the Incap sub-station in the town vandalizing the Transformer, which supplies power to the entire Ephraim Essien Road, GRA.

It was reported that Ikake was about to make away with two up-riser cables of 15m each of 150mm2 x 4-core armoured cables, but was however, accosted by the security man after being alerted by a resident of the area. He was later arrested by men of the Special Anti –Robbery Squad (SARS).

Upon his arrest, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ikot Ekpene, Elom Oroke, who currently has Ikake in custody, alerted his family members about the incident and of steps to be taken to prosecute him. Iboma said that there was overwhelming evidence to establish a case of vandalism against the suspect.

“We will ensure that this case is taken to its logical conclusion. This is to ensure that it serves as a deterrent to others and aid in the eradication of this evil that has been a clog in the wheel of progress in the electricity supply industry in Nigeria,” he said.

The Manager, Ikot Ekpene Business Service Area, PHED, Moses Achi, commended the customer who called in SARS to make the arrest. He however, lamented the situation as bound to cause severe blackout in the Essiem Ikot Ekpene Road. He revealed that the stolen cable recovered from the vandal would be of no use as it was completely destroyed.

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