Unlawful Disconnection: AEDC Staff Bags Six Months in Prison

• A Magistrate court sitting in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi state, has sentenced a staff of the AEDC, James Olayemi to prison
• Olayemi's imprisonment was declared by Magistrate Tanko Muhammed after perusing all evidence put before him
• According to him, Olayemi’s offence was punishable under section 94 of the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act, 2005

Lokoja, Kogi - James Olayemi, a staff of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), has been sentenced to six months in prison for unlawfully disconnecting a customer’s residence in Lokoja.

Daily Trust reports that a magistrate court in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi state, however, gave Olayemi an option of an N50,000 fine.

Legit.ng gathered that Magistrate Tanko Muhammed also ordered immediate reconnection of electricity supply to the compound of Dennis Osanwuta.

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According to the report, Osanwuta, a surveyor, sued Olayemi, a marketing officer, and the company’s regional manager Lammed Obadaki for damage to his property and unlawful disconnection of supply to his residence after he paid N370,000 in power bill for February.

The Guardian also reports that the Magistrate, however, absolved the AEDC regional manager, Lameed Obadaki, the second defendant, of any complicity on the two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and unlawful disconnection.

The judge consequently discharged and acquitted Obadaki, saying that from the evidence before him, there was no link between him and the criminal activities of the first defendant.

He said that Olayemi’s offence was punishable under Section 94 of the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act, 2005.

According to the chief magistrate, Section 5 provides that electricity consumers must be given a maximum of 10 days for payment of electricity bills.

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He said:

“The EPSR also provides for a three-month written notice disconnection to a customer before AEDC can effect an impending disconnection."

FG positions two agencies to make electricity accessible to Nigerians

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the federal government through the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) is implementing the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP)’s Solar Power Naija programme.

It was reported that the programme would provide electricity access to five million households, serving about 25 million Nigerians in rural areas and under-served urban communities nationwide.

According to vice president Yemi Osinbajo who flagged off the initiative in the Jangefe community, the rollout would continue across the six geopolitical zones in Edo, Lagos, Adamawa, Anambra, Kebbi, and Plateau.

Source: Legit.ng