The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) Plc is collaborating with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences (SIPTEO) to pursue investigations and legal actions against individuals and businesses involved in energy theft.
Johnson Tinuoye, the chief key accounts officer of IBEDC, revealed this in a statement on Monday.
According to the statement, IBEDC has identified and recorded over 1,459 energy thefts between January and February 2024. These cases include offences such as meter bypass and illegal meter tampering, resulting in significant financial losses amounting to hundreds of millions of naira for the company.
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These escalating numbers have driven a strategic partnership with SIPTEO, a federal government agency dedicated to expediting the investigation and prosecution of offenders within IBEDC’s franchise.
Tinuoye emphasized that under the Electricity Act, energy theft is now recognized as a criminal offence, carrying severe penalties including imprisonment.
Similarly, IBEDC arrested two people in the Osun area for illicit connections and meter bypassing energy theft. Their cases have been formally charged for prosecution.
Tinuoye said, “We want to send a clear message to our customers that energy theft will not be tolerated. Our collaboration with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences underscores our commitment to ensuring a fair and just electricity distribution system”.
“Energy theft not only undermines the integrity of our operations but also deprives IBEDC of the revenue necessary to provide quality services to our customers,” he added.
Additionally, IBEDC warns its customers to refrain from engaging in any form of energy theft, emphasising that the consequences can be severe, as there is no room for negotiation with the SIPTEO Task Force team which is actively monitoring and looking into cases of energy theft to prosecute those involved.
