Chinedum Elekwachi
Four persons have been jailed for vandalizing property of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) in Ebonyi State.
The Group Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, disclosed this on Thursday.
He said Hon. Justice John Igboji had on on the 12th of November 2025 sentenced one of the convicts, Chukwuma Onwe to four years imprisonment.
Justice Igboji presided over the case at the High Court of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, Ohaukwu Judicial Division, sitting in Ezzangbo.
“His conviction followed a three-count charge of conspiracy, damage and unlawful disconnection of transformer armoured cables, and stealing.
The crime is contrary to the Ebonyi State Criminal Code, Cap 33, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria 2009.
“On the conspiracy charge, Onwe received a three-year sentence, while the charges of vandalism and stealing, earned him four years each.
All terms are to run concurrently,” he added.
According to Ezeh, the police arrested him in September 2023 for vandalizing a transformer belonging to EEDC, at Ntsulakpa, Ezzangbo Community, Ebonyi State.
Another sentencing
In a similar development, on the 7th of November 2025, the same Court sentenced Okefe Stanley, Aleke Kingsley, and Egba Friday to four years imprisonment each for vandalism, unlawful disconnection, damage, and removal of aluminum conductors, belonging to EEDC.
The court sentenced the trio to three years for conspiracy and four years each for vandalism and stealing.
Again, all the terms will run concurrently.
Ezeh recounted that the vigilante group of Oshituma Community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area, Ebonyi State arrested them on 5th June 2023.
The management of EEDC commended the judiciary for the judgements and appealed for speedy trial of other pending vandalism-related cases in courts.
EEDC expressed pleasure with the judgements hoping that they serve as deterrent to criminals in the area.
He recalled that in August this year, Hon. Justice Nicholas E. Nwode sentenced four vandals – Ikechukwu Esseh, Ikedinachi Uche, Ukpai Godwin, and Uchenna Kalu to seven years imprisonment.
The four had attacked a 7.5MVA Injection Substation belonging to EEDC, at Education Board Road, Afikpo, in Afikpo North LGA.
EEDC expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Police and the vigilante group of Ohaukwu community for their vigilance and unwavering commitment to combating this menace.
“This aligns with the company’s long-standing call for community collaboration in safeguarding critical electricity infrastructure,” he stressed.
Ezeh lamented the negative impact of vandalism on the company’s operations.
He stressed that the company has continued to commit scarce resources to restoring vandalized/damaged equipment.
According to Ezeh, such funds could have been deployed to enhance service delivery.
He urged customers to remain vigilant and safeguard electricity installations within their neighborhoods, warning that vandalism inevitably results in service disruptions and inconvenience.
