Four Jailed in Ebonyi for Vandalising Electricity Substation
The High Court of Ebonyi State in Afikpo has sentenced four men to prison for their role in vandalising a power installation belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc (EEDC).
Trial Justice Nicholas Nwode, of the Afikpo Judicial Division, found Ikechukwu Esseh, Ikedinachi Uche, Ukpai Godwin, and Uchenna Kalu guilty on three counts — conspiracy, vandalism, and theft.
The offences were linked to a November 28, 2023, attack on a 7.5 MVA injection substation along Education Board Road in Afikpo North Local Government Area.
The convicts were handed five years in prison for conspiracy, seven years for vandalism, and another five years for stealing, all to run concurrently without the option of a fine.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, EEDC’s Group Head of Corporate Communications, Emeka Ezeh, commended the judiciary for the ruling, describing it as a deterrent to other would-be vandals.
He also praised the General Youth President and the Afikpo Task Force for aiding the arrest of the culprits, noting that the case reflected the value of community support in safeguarding public infrastructure.
Ezeh lamented that frequent vandalism of electricity facilities had continued to drain the company’s limited resources and undermine service delivery.
“We keep diverting funds meant for other operational improvements to replace stolen or damaged equipment,” he said, urging residents to remain vigilant and protect installations in their neighbourhoods.
The company further called for speedy resolution of similar pending cases to strengthen efforts at curbing the destruction of power assets across the region.
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