There was a lot of chaos and unusual tension at Dawaki Police Quarters in Abuja on Friday. Several officials from Abuja Electricity Distribution Company Plc (AEDC) faced a violent attack while they were carrying out an enforcement exercise against suspected electricity theft.
The incident occurred during an AEDC’s revenue protection personnel’s joint operation with security operatives. They acted on intelligence reports indicating widespread meter bypass and illegal electricity connections within the estate.
According to reports, the AEDC officials had visited the estate to disconnect illegal connections. They also planned to restore affected installations to approved metering configurations in the FCT. The team had spent months on customer sensitization while issuing repeated warnings against electricity theft.
During the exercise, AEDC officials uncovered shocking violations where more than fifteen residential premises had bypassed electricity meters. Even the estate’s security gate drew attention as its electricity supply ran through an unauthorized bypass arrangement.
Eyewitnesses said the operation turned violent as the confrontation escalated quickly. Some residents allegedly resisted the exercise. They prevented the officials from leaving the estate.
Several members of the enforcement team sustained injuries from the estate residents. The attackers also seized mobile phones from some officials and deleted photographs and video evidence gathered during the raid. Fortunately, no fatalities were recorded by the medical personnel who treated the injured officials.
According to Daily Post, sources said the team reported the matter to the divisional police officer. This happened before the officials could exit the estate. The DPO oversees the area.
AEDC has reacted strongly to the incident. The company described the attack as unacceptable. It stressed that no employee carrying out lawful duties should face violence or intimidation.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of AEDC, Engr. Chijioke Okwuokenye addressed the press. He said the company would continue to protect the integrity of its electricity distribution network. He further added that this incident will not derail their mission.
Okwuokenye delivered a stern warning. He noted that attacks on utility workers undermine efforts to curb electricity theft. They also damage service delivery to customers. He urged residents to cooperate with authorized enforcement personnel during official assignments.
The company also appealed to customers and equally asked them to reject electricity theft entirely. Illegal connections constitute criminal offenses. They endanger lives and damage electricity infrastructure while increasing losses across the distribution network. Ultimately, they affect service quality for paying customers.
AEDC pledged to continue collaborating with security agencies. It wants to ensure that those responsible face identification and prosecution. The company will pursue this in accordance with the law.
This incident comes amid an intensified nationwide campaign from electricity distribution companies across Nigeria that are combating meter bypass. They are also fighting illegal connections and vandalism. Industry stakeholders say these practices account for significant commercial losses. They continue to threaten the financial sustainability of Nigeria’s power sector.
Backstory: How Nigeria’s Power Sector Lost Its Spark
Nigeria’s electricity crisis stretches back decades. The government privatized the power sector in 2013. It sold generation and distribution assets to private investors. The goal was simple: attract fresh capital, fix the national grid, and end decades of darkness.
So far the results have disappointed many Nigerians.
Distribution companies still struggle with massive technical and commercial losses. Meter bypass ranks among their biggest headaches. Some customers tamper with their meters. Others tap directly into overhead lines. A few bribe officials to look the other way. The industry loses billions of naira yearly.
The DisCos have responded with tougher enforcement while pushing for customers to get prepaid meters. The Meter Asset Provider scheme (MAPS) launched in 2019 was aimed at closing the metering gap. But progress has been slow as millions of customers still receive estimated bills. They often dispute the figures, as this breeds resentment on both sides.
Attacks on utility workers have risen alongside enforcement efforts. In 2017, AEDC raised alarm over increasing assaults on staff. The problem has only worsened since then. Workers now face stones, machetes, and mob violence. Some communities view DisCos as exploitative, while the DisCos see communities as thieves. In other words, there is no trust between both parties.
The Dawaki Police Quarters incident just adds a bitter twist, as police families generally live in that estate. These are people who should understand the rule of law. Yet they allegedly attacked officials enforcing it. This suggests that electricity theft has taken root across social strata. It is not just a poor man’s crime; even the middle-class Nigerians also bypass meters.
