Three individuals have been sentenced to prison by Lagos Magistrate Courts for vandalizing and stealing electrical infrastructure belonging to Ikeja Electric Plc, according to a statement released by the company's Head of Corporate Communications, Kingsley Okotie.
On May 5, 2025, the Magistrate Court in Ikorodu convicted Adegbite Jamiu on a three-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful damage, and theft after he damaged a transformer supplying electricity to the Igboye community. Jamiu, who pleaded guilty to the charges, received a six-month prison sentence with terms running concurrently from his arrest date.
In a separate case, Jeremiah Chukwuemeka and Joshua Udeh were each sentenced to one year imprisonment by a magistrate court in Ogba, Ikeja, on May 7, 2025. The pair were found guilty of stealing cables from a transformer on Sobo Arobiodu Street in Ikeja GRA. They were arrested on August 15, 2024, and charged with conspiracy, theft, willful damage to public infrastructure, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace. Both men pleaded guilty to the charges.
Community Vigilance Key to Arrests
The arrest of Jamiu was facilitated by a vigilant community member who reported the incident to the police, highlighting the crucial role of public cooperation in protecting essential infrastructure.
Babatunde Osadare, Chief Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance Officer of Ikeja Electric, commended the judiciary and law enforcement agencies for their prompt action in the cases. He emphasized the importance of safeguarding electrical infrastructure for reliable service delivery.
"These convictions reinforce our commitment to protecting our infrastructure and ensuring reliable electricity distribution to our customers. We appreciate the efforts of the judiciary and law enforcement agencies and urge community members to remain vigilant, report any suspicious activities to the authorities, and avoid taking the law into your hands," Osadare stated.
The convictions come amid growing concerns about the vandalism of power distribution assets across Nigeria, which continues to hamper efforts to improve electricity supply to communities and businesses.
Experts note that infrastructure vandalism costs power distribution companies millions of naira annually in replacement and repair costs, ultimately affecting service quality and electricity tariffs for consumers.
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