Jos Disco Launches Taskforce On Theft, Vandalism

The Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice has launched a joint task force that will deal with thieves, electricity vandals and staff who aid customers to bypass meters.

JED also said it would no longer tolerate those vandalising its equipment like transformers which had recorded a high number of proliferation of index cases.

Speaking during the launch of the taskforce in Jos, the managing director of the company, Engr. Abdu Bello Mohammed, said if it meant sacking all erring staff that are not adding value to the company, he would do so, as long as the company remained sanitised.

He lamented that despite the company having a metering penetration of 240, 000, customers on prepaid meters who represent 35 per cent of the entire customer base of the company with an expected monthly revenue increase, it still falls short of revenue expectations.

“The company’s expected monthly revenue should be about N2.5 billion, but because of theft, we don’t get close to this amount.  In 2021, the company spent N7, 298,134 on critical infrastructure upgrade with the intent of improving reliability and safety of services.

“These assets have come under relentless waves of attacks by vandals, notwithstanding their beneficial impact on communities.

“In 2023 we expended between N400 and N500 million in fixing and replacing transformers that have been vandalised.

“This is clearly a double jeopardy for the company, as our revenue is being massively depleted by vandals and energy thieves,” he said.

The Joint Task Force codenamed Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences (SIPTEO) is to check energy theft and other related offenses, the board chairman, Alhaji Adamu Wakil, said.