The management of Eastland Electricity Distribution Limited (EEDL) has raised the alarm over what it described as an escalating wave of vandalism targeting its electricity infrastructure across Ebonyi State, warning that the attacks threaten stable power supply and economic activities.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the company’s Head of Communications, Mrs. Patience Ezeagu, EEDL disclosed that no fewer than four distribution substations (DSS) were vandalised within two weeks, disrupting electricity supply and causing significant financial losses.
The affected installations include the Quarry Road 500KVA transformer vandalised on February 5; the Omugo 300KVA transformer vandalised on February 13; and the Ogbu-Ewu 300KVA and CAS 500KVA transformers vandalised on February 14, 2026.
Other installations hit during the period under review are the Ezenwuba 300KVA transformer vandalised on February 7; the UBEB 500KVA transformer vandalised on January 12; and the 11/11 Ishieke 300KVA transformer vandalised on January 28, 2026. The company said critical materials worth over ₦20 million were either damaged or carted away.
Reacting to the development, the Managing Director of EEDL, Engr. Nnamdi Chuka-Nwosu, described the attacks as a calculated attempt to cripple operations.
“These incidents are deeply troubling and unacceptable,” he said, noting that the persistent destruction of electricity infrastructure amounts to a direct assault on critical national assets.
According to him, beyond the immediate blackout experienced by affected communities, the cost of replacing stolen materials and repairing damaged facilities is straining the company’s operational capacity.
“We keep replacing vandalised equipment and repairing damaged substations at the expense of other critical operational needs and network improvement projects that would enhance service delivery to our customers. This is not sustainable, and no business can thrive in such an environment,” Chuka-Nwosu lamented.
Also speaking, the Chief Commercial Officer of EEDL, Mr. Cyprian Nwankwegu, expressed concern that the repeated attacks undermine efforts to improve electricity supply across the state.
“As someone who has worked in this state for over a decade, I can confidently say that these installations are meant to serve our people and support economic growth. When they are vandalised, the communities suffer the most and such does not encourage the growth and development of our people,” he said.
The company stressed that electricity infrastructure constitutes critical national assets that require collective protection, urging residents and stakeholders to play an active role in safeguarding installations within their communities.
“We cannot continue like this. The sustainability of power supply depends not only on the efforts of the distribution company but also on the cooperation of the communities we serve. Safeguarding these installations is a shared responsibility,” Chuka-Nwosu emphasised.
EEDL appealed to neighbourhood watch groups, community leaders, youth organisations and residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around substations and other electricity facilities to the nearest security agency or EEDL office.
