Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) PLC has decried rising cases of vandalism across its franchise zone.

It said besides being an economic crime, the vandalism is also an act of sabotage against the good purpose and intents of the company.

BEDC said the effects of vandalism should stimulate tougher laws to be enforced to protect public property, especially electricity infrastructure.

The Head, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Adekunle Tayo, in a statement yesterday, appealed to the public to be vigilant and security conscious, to combat the activities of unruly elements in the society, whose aim is to make life unbearable for people through their nefarious acts.

BEDC said the power sector had been the most hit in the most devastating manner and the effect of vandalism could not be overemphasised, as residential customers, industries, small and medium scale businesses were being starved of power as a result of the activities of vandals.

‘’The recent surge in cases of vandalism within our franchise area calls for greater attention. More worrisome is the fact that these miscreants are continuously innovating new ideas beyond human comprehension to perpetrate their criminal acts. We see the recent vandalism of 14 spans of electricity conductors at Ilu-titun, southern Ondo State, on a line currently being rehabilitated by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), as very disturbing. More disturbing is that Okitipupa town was recently thrown into blackout as a result of the vandalism of 20 spans of electricity conductors, which occurred between Ode-Aye and Okitipupa. As a company, we see these as acts of economic sabotage against the good intents of BEDC,” Tayo said.

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Efforts by BEDC at curbing the menace of vandalism on its network have received a boost, with the sentencing of Mr. David James to three years imprisonment by a Benin Magistrates’ Court 6 in Egor Local Government of Edo State.

On July 3, a 2.5MVA, 33/11KV Injection Substation at Igarra, near Auchi in Edo State, was vandalised; while RUM, upriser cables, incomer cables, etc. were removed by the vandals.

However, the vandals were arrested by the police at Ogorimagogo in Kogi State and the stolen items were recovered. The suspects were later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Lokoja. Efforts are being made by the Edo State Police Command to retrieve the arrested suspects and exhibits to Edo State where they will be arraigned at the end of police investigation.

Last week, there was a reported case of high-tension cable conductor vandalism at Esaba, Otutuaima, Oghangbla and Iuhre-Ogun communities in Ughelli South Local Government of Delta State. The suspects, Messrs. John Moses, Bako Michel and Azikewe Festus, were said to have vandalised 65 poles of high tension cable conductors in June. They were reportedly arraigned at Ogwuashi-Uku Magistrates’ Court and remanded at Ogwuashi-Uku Correctional Centre, Ogwuashi-Uku..