IBEDC Cracks Down on Energy Theft with 1,459 Cases Recorded in January and February
By: Emmanuel Ibitoye
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) revealed a crackdown on energy theft, reporting 1,459 cases recorded between January and February 2024.
In a press statement signed by IBEDC’s Chief Key Accounts Officer, Mr. Johnson Tinuoye, the company disclosed active pursuit of investigations and legal actions against individuals and businesses involved in theft, collaborating with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences.
These cases encompassed various offences such as meter bypass and illegal meter tampering, resulting in significant financial losses amounting to hundreds of millions of naira for IBEDC.
Tinuoye emphasized that energy theft undermines operational integrity and deprives IBEDC of revenue essential for quality service provision. Under the Electricity Act, energy theft is recognized as a criminal offense, with severe penalties including imprisonment.
In the Osun region, two individuals were apprehended for stealing energy through meter bypass and illegal connections, and their cases have been formally charged in court for prosecution.
IBEDC urged customers to refrain from energy theft, emphasizing severe consequences and highlighting the absence of negotiation with the SIPTEO Task Force, actively patrolling and investigating instances of energy theft for prosecution.
