BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun State Command has arrested nine residents for allegedly tampering with electric meters in their residences.
They were accused of bypassing the meters in order to circumvent appropriate payment for energy consumed.
According to a statement signed and issued by the Acting Public Relations Officer, Adeleke Kehinde, on Friday, the suspects were arrested at Owode along Ilesa road in the state on March 28, 2023 at about 8:00pm during a joint task force operation of the corps and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company.
The Osun NSCDC boss, Commandant Agboola Sunday revealed that nine suspects were caught in the act, out of which are eight males and one female.
“The command has a strong synergy with IBEDC; our personnel went on a joint task force operation with the company, round Osogbo in search of those manipulating meters in the state. It is not going to be business as usual as the command is ready to put a stop to this act,” Sunday said.
He stated further that energy theft, vandalism and other vices are major setbacks mitigating the development of the country.
According to him, ‘’We shall leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators of energy theft to book, NSCDC will keep arresting those people to serve as deterrent to those engaging in criminal infractions such as vandalism, bypass, illegal connection, load diversion and others.”
He urged members of the public to be part of continuing efforts aimed at safeguarding critical national assets in their neighbourhood by reporting the activities of vandals and saboteurs to nearest NSCDC in their environment.
The Commandant who revealed that the suspects made confessional statements admitting the commission of the energy theft, said they would be prosecuted in a court of competent jurisdiction to serve as deterrent to others who are tampering with meters installed in their residences.
Agboola also warned non-staff of IBEDC to steer clear of power installations, saying that they encroach on these facilities under the guise of maintaining them.
