The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has raised alarm over the vandalization of electricity installations within its operational areas in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
In a statement released on Sunday by the Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, EEDC attributed the recent power outage in parts of Abakaliki to the vandalism of the Udemezue 11KV Feeder during the early hours of January 5.
The affected areas include Oroko-Onuoha, Udensi, Kpirikpiri, Ogbaga Road, New Layout, Udemezue, Low-Cost Housing Estate, and Hilltop Road. Notable establishments such as Amikaba, Siren Hotel, Man City Hotel, Muchels Hotel, De Pablo Hotel, and Unity FM radio station are also impacted by the outage.
Ezeh disclosed that the vandalism was detected after an abnormal outage occurred on the feeder at 2:40 a.m. A patrol team discovered that approximately 16 meters of underground 150mm² x 3-core armoured cable had been stolen from the source of the feeder.
The incident has left over 70 public and private transformers serving numerous customers without power supply.
“We sincerely regret this unprecedented development and appeal to our customers for patience and understanding as we work to replace the stolen and damaged items,” Ezeh stated.
He assured customers that efforts are underway to restore power as soon as repairs are completed and reaffirmed EEDC’s commitment to improving services.
“EEDC remains committed to delivering improved services to her esteemed customers. The company is working diligently to resolve the issue and restore power supply to the affected areas as soon as possible,” Ezeh added.
This incident comes amidst increasing reports of vandalism targeting critical electricity infrastructure across the region, underscoring the need for enhanced security measures and community vigilance.