Two persons jailed for vandalising IKEDC transformers

The Lagos State Magistrate Court in Ejigbo has sentenced two men for vandalising transformers belonging to Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company.

A statement by the IKEDC spokesperson, Kingsley Okotie, on Wednesday, stated th the convicts, Abubakar Alido, received a one-year sentence for vandalising a 500KVA transformer on Michael Aladesuyi Street, Egbeda, Lagos, under the Omo Osho 11KV Feeder.

The second convicted person, Ishola Olatunji, was sentenced to six months for attempting to vandalise a transformer on Karimu Laka Street, Egbeda, Lagos, under the Orelope 11KV Feeder.

Okotie disclosed that Alido was apprehended by a security guard and handed over to the police.

According to him, Alido was found tampering with the transformer cables and he was arraigned Alido at Magistrate Court 1, Ejigbo, on June 14, 2024, for wilful damage to transformer cables, contrary to Section 339 and punishable under Section 350 of the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2015.

He added that Alido had pleaded guilty when the charges were read to him and was sentenced on July 2.

In a similar case, Olatunji was reportedly caught by members of the Karimu Laka community while attempting to vandalise a 500KVA transformer.

The community members handed him over to the police and he was arraigned at Magistrate Court 1, Ejigbo, Lagos, on March 11, but he was granted bail after pleading not guilty

However, he later changed his plea to guilty and the court sentenced him to six months imprisonment, counting from his arraignment date.

Speaking on the judgments, the Manager of Akowonjo Business Unit, Abayomi Bolorunde, expressed satisfaction and hope that the sentences would serve as a deterrent to other potential vandals.

He reiterated Ikeja Electric’s commitment to curtailing the vandalism of its assets, emphasising the significant damage such activities cause to the company’s operations and the inconvenience they bring to customers.

He urged communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities, as vandals continue to devise new methods to disrupt the electricity supply and plunge customers into darkness.