The Regional Head, Kwara State branch of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) Plc, Gabriel Eze, has said the company will continue to use diplomacy to recover the huge debt owed it by some military and para-military institutions in the state.

Eze, who said the debt ran into billions of naira, blamed the indebtedness on the lackadaisical attitude of those saddled with the responsibility of recovering debt.

At the Consumers Consultative Meeting, yesterday, in Ilorin, he said: “Some of the military and para-military institutions here are owing us a lot of money running into billions of naira. Since I assumed office, we had engaged in useful dialogues. Very soon, we shall begin to see the results.

“Bureaucracy in government procedures, most of the time, could also be responsible for debt accumulation. But the concerned institutions are cooperating with us.”

IBEDC Public Relations Officer, (PRO), Mrs. Busolami Tunwase, said consumers in some units of the catchment zone of IBEDC in Kwara were owing the company over N50 billion.

According to her, Jebba leads the pack with a debt of N25 billion, followed by Baboko Ilorin with N18 billion and Challenge Ilorin with N7 billion.

Tunwase added: “The 2013 power sector privatisation has changed a lot of things all over Nigeria. There is no more free electricity. Our target is to supply 24 hours electricity everyday. Already, some of our substations are being upgraded. But the caveat for meeting this target is that the huge debts owed us should first be paid to keep us in business.”

She cautioned the consumers against fake electricity meters in circulation, noting that it had been causing fire outbreaks in many homes where they are installed.

“Stop patronising the suppliers. Come straight to our offices and get your meter to save life and property. Remember that the money paid to procure fake meters do not get to us. So, what do we use to fix faults when they are reported? Note that electricity customers are different from electricity consumers,” she warned.

The officer in charge of Revenue Protection Unit of the local IBEDC, Jude Nwoke, said energy theft and illegal connection “are on the increase.” He urged whistle-blowers of the company to intensify efforts at identifying the culprits to avoid the financial burdens being transferred to the customers.

Chairman, Kwara State chapter of Nigeria Regulatory Electricity Commission Forum (NERC), Amos Ajanaku, said: “We serve as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) between customers and distribution companies. No customer’s case will be entertained in court, unless it had passed through us.”

The legal officer, Segun Ogundola, warned that assault on the staff of the corporation in the course of carrying out a legitimate function would attract three years imprisonment as contained in Section 265 of the Penal Code. He added that illegal connection or circumventing of meter could attract up to 25 years sentence.