At the High Court of Ebonyi State, Afikpo Judicial Division, presided over by Hon. Justice Nicholas E. Nwode, four men — Ikechukwu Esseh, Ikedinachi Uche, Ukpai Godwin, and Uchenna Kalu — have been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for conspiracy, vandalism, and stealing.
The convicts were arrested on November 28, 2023, for attacking a 7.5MVA Injection Substation belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC), located at Education Board Road, Afikpo, in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
This was disclosed on Wednesday in Enugu by the Group Head, Corporate Communications of EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh.
According to Ezeh, the presiding judge, after reviewing all evidence and noting the high incidence of vandalism and theft of electrical installations in Afikpo, sentenced the accused to five years imprisonment on count one, seven years on count two, and five years on count three — all to run concurrently, without the option of a fine.
The EEDC management commended the judiciary for the verdict, expressing hope that it would serve as a deterrent.
“We commend the judiciary for the judgement, and hope that this will serve as a deterrent to others out there, who may engage in such criminal act,” Ezeh stated.
The company also appreciated the General Youth President and the Afikpo Task Force Team for their role in apprehending the vandals, describing it as a clear example of community collaboration in safeguarding power infrastructure.
Ezeh further urged customers to support efforts aimed at protecting installations in their areas, lamenting that vandalism has severely impacted the company’s operations and service delivery.
“As a result, we continue to commit scarce resources to restore vandalised equipment — funds that would ordinarily be channeled to other areas of our operations that will benefit our customers,” he said.
He advised customers to remain vigilant and prevent vandalism, warning that such acts inevitably lead to service disruptions and inconvenience.
