The Ikeja Electric Company, Lagos, said on Sunday that it spent over N11 million in 18 months on the repair and upgrade of its installations that were damaged by vandals.

A statement issued by the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Abiodun Ajifowobaje, also said that the company lost huge revenue through meter bypassing involving more than 75,000 customers.

It said that the customers had not paid their electricity bills for months.

The statement urged its ‘esteemed customers’ to be part of continuing efforts to safeguard the company’s installations in their neighbourhoods.

It said that they could do that by reporting the activities of ‘vandals and saboteurs’ to law enforcement agencies or the Ikeja Electric business offices.

The managing director said in the statement, however, that the company had since received the backing of various security agencies who had expressed the commitment to checking the activities of vandals through arrest and prosecution.

The MD added that the company was currently installing advanced pre-paid meters across its network in line with its commitment to serving its customers well.

According to the statement, the company’s advanced meters, meter application forms and installation services were free of charge.

The statement said that eight persons had been arrested for allegedly tampering with meters installed by the company’s Abule-Egba and Ikorodu business units.

“The illegal action, widely referred to as ‘meter bypass,’ involves deliberate manipulation of meter installations to circumvent appropriate payment for energy consumed.”

The statement explained that the suspects were arrested by the men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and mobile policemen on October 6 and 9 following a complaint by the company.

“Investigations are ongoing to ensure that the suspects are made to face the wrath of the law along with their collaborators who are believed to be part of a notorious syndicate.” (NAN)

*Photo shows Ikeja Electric Logo.