IBEDC Raises Alarm Over Vandalism, Says Five Lives Lost In Three Years

The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has raised the alarm over the increasing rate of vandalism of electricity infrastructure across its franchise areas, saying the menace has caused significant financial losses and claimed five lives in the last three years.

The company said the destruction and theft of critical electricity assets had continued to undermine power supply, disrupt economic activities and expose residents and workers to serious safety risks.

IBEDC explained that vandalism had resulted in substantial revenue losses through unbilled energy, particularly electricity that could no longer be distributed, consumed or billed following the destruction of power infrastructure.

According to the electricity distribution company, the financial burden is further worsened by the huge cost of repairing and replacing vandalised equipment, including transformers, power cables, conductors, poles and other critical distribution assets.

The company also expressed concern over the human cost of the criminal activities, revealing that five people had lost their lives in vandalism-related incidents across its network in the past three years.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of IBEDC, Mr Deolu Ijose, described the growing wave of vandalism as a serious threat to electricity supply, public safety, economic activities and national development.

Ijose said the situation was “deeply troubling and unsustainable,” noting that apart from the financial implications, vandalism continued to disrupt electricity supply to millions of customers while destroying critical national assets.

He further warned that the activities exposed communities to significant safety risks and undermined the company’s investments in network expansion, service improvement and reliable electricity distribution.

The IBEDC chief executive stressed that electricity infrastructure remained a critical national asset that required the collective protection of government, security agencies, host communities, traditional institutions and other stakeholders.

He therefore called for stronger collaboration among relevant stakeholders to identify, apprehend and prosecute individuals involved in the vandalism of electricity infrastructure.

Ijose also urged residents within IBEDC’s franchise areas to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around power installations, substations, transformers and distribution lines.

He appealed for urgent and coordinated action against the menace, stressing that protecting electricity infrastructure was essential to sustaining power supply, safeguarding lives and supporting economic development across the affected communities.