By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Following effects of vandalization by hoodlums, over 50 communities in Enugu State and two communities in Ebonyi have been thrown into darkness.
Mr Emeka Ezeh, the Head, Corporate Communications of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), who revealed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, said that hoodlums vandalied Amechi–Awgu 33KV mainline, which supplies electricity to the affected communities.
Ezeh said, “Some of the affected communities included Mgbowo, Ugwuleshi Awgu, Ogwuofia Awgu, Obodo Asaa Awgu, Ogwumabiri Awgu, Obeagu, Nmaku, Mgbidi, Ihe, Okpanku, Mpu, among others.”
Ezeh said that the activities of the vandals occurred at Nenwe Junction down to the World University along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State.
He said that the vandals removed about 40 spans of aluminium conductors on the line as well as the collapse and damage to 15 High-Tension poles.
Calling on the government to take action on the vandals, Ezeh noted that about 130 distribution sub-stations (transformers) are affected and cannot supply electricity to customers within these communities, adding that this part of the network had been under attack by vandals since January, 2021.
According to him, the present incident reoccurred barely two weeks after the company had spent millions of naira in replacing the vandalised items.