THE Benin Electricity Distribution, BEDC, is partnering with ‘Operation Thunderstorm’,  a Nigerian army outfit set up in Benin, to support civil authorities to maintain law and order in Edo State. The outfit is to stop vandals from destroying electricity equipment.

Abu Ejoor, executive director, commercial, BEDC, stated this at the presentation of some tyres to the Edo State Command of the Operation Thunderstorm to support the operation of the squad. He stated that vandalisation of power equipment was a menace that disrupts power supply to the public causing customers unnecessary inconveniences due to prolonged blackout.  This also causes service providers to use the revenue which could be used for network expansion to replace vandalized items from these power installations.

A statement from BEDC pointed out that the donation was to strengthen the operation of the squad to enable it fight power equipment vandals, arrest and persecute them them.

The Edo state Command of Operation Thunderstorm, commended BEDC for the gesture which would enable it to patrol high risk areas where power installations could  be exposed to the activities of miscreants who steal cables and other accessories from transformers.

It said that the donation was a way of strengthening the collaboration between BEDC and security agencies across the franchise states with a view to assist in curbing power assets vandalism.

The donation is one of BEDC corporate social responsibility initiatives geared toward tackling the menace of vandalism which affects quality service delivery. It is will be recalled that most of the vandals arrested in recent times were made through the effort of vigilant members of the public.

The war against vandalism recorded a major boost recently when one John Joshua, 25 years old and Yakubu Irish, 28, were apprehended by community members while vandalizing transformers at Idahagbon community, off Oko central Road, Benin city, Edo State. The two vandals caught in the act by members of Idahagbon community in Oko central area of Benin have been arraigned and sentenced to six months of imprisonment.

– Apr. 6, 2018 @ 15:40 GMT

AE