AEDC, Police To Check Electricity Theft, Vandalism

The Abuja Electricity Dis
tribution Company(AEDC) and the Nigeria Police have, agreed to collaborate in tackling electricity theft and vandalism within the company’s area of coverage.
The agreement was reached at a meeting between the Inspector General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, and the management of AEDC led by its Managing Director, Mr Neil Croucher.
The agreement is contained in a statement issued by the company’s Head of Public Relations and Media, Mallam Ahmed Shekarau.
According to Shekarau, the proposed partnership is imperative given the critical need for steady power supply for the growth and development of the nation’s economy.
He recalled a similar collaboration between the police and the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), which led to the creation of a Joint Task Force that helped in curbing vandalism.
He said that Abba, who was represented by Mr Mamman Tsafe, Deputy Inspector General, Police Headquarters, Abuja, stressed the commitment of the police to the success of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.
Abba, according to him, said that the force will particularly lend its support to the realization of the president’s vision in the power sector.
Shekarau also quoted AEDC’s managing director as saying that the company needed the support of the police in dealing with electricity theft and vandalism.
He solicited the support of the force in providing security for its revenue collection personnel, especially in some hostile communities.
Croucher also appealed for training of AEDC staff on self-defence to enable them deal with unusual circumstances such as armed robbery and aggression by hostile customers.
He assured of the company’s commitment to improved power supply in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its other coverage areas of Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger.