Vandals steal transformer components in Osogbo
Nigeria, Osogbo: Residents of Osogbo have been thrown into darkness after vandals stole major components of the transformer serving the community.
Image for illustration purposes
Nigeria, Osogbo: Residents of Osogbo have been thrown into darkness after vandals stole major components of the transformer serving the community.
The residents said social life and business activities had been disrupted in the area due to lack of electricity supply. The transformers in Ikirun town were also dismantled by vandals, leaving the people in total darkness for many months.
The Chief Operating Officer of the Ibadan Electricity Company (IBEDC), engineer John Ayodele, had consequently appealed to all communities to protect electrical installations in their localities from vandals, who mostly target transformers and up-riser cables worth thousands of dollars.
Ayodele explained that constant replacement of the installations was counterproductive and detrimental.
“From January to April 2020, more than 38 transformers, amounting to 1154.9 MWh of undelivered energy, had been vandalised. For instance, in Olulana community under the Ijeun business hub, the 300 kVA transformer has been vandalised several times. Also in Ogun State, the Victory 500 kVA transformer in Mowe community was vandalised on different occasions,” he said. The vandals also carted away cables of a 330 kVA and a 500 kVA transformers at Surulere and Kuponniyi substations at Oyo State.
He, therefore, urged community leaders, youth associations, and security agencies to work with IBEDC in the protection of electrical installations within their communities. He also encouraged vigilante groups and any patriotic member of the communities with useful information to report cases or culprits of vandalism promptly.
Source: Daily Trust