The Edo State Police Command on Friday arrested two middle-aged women, Bright Isibor and Evelyn Eriamator for allegedly bypassing their prepaid meters in Benin.
A combined team of police personnel and the Benin Electricity Distribution PLC staff who went round the Benin metropolis on a routine check, made the discovery and arrest while two others escaped.
Speaking to The Forward News Media after the exercise in Benin, the Corporate Communications Officer, Evelyn Gbiwen, said the exercise was to ensure that all revenue came to the company.
Gbiwen said, “We just went on a drive to make sure those people who engage in criminal infractions on BEDC meters are brought to book. We did a petition to the Commissioner of Police and within 48 hours, he approved it.
We want to keep arresting these people to serve as deterrent to those who are engaging in criminal infractions such as bypass, illegal connection, load diversion and others.
“The new management of the BEDC is not going to take kindly to any infraction that will lead into loss of revenue. We have a target to take this company out of the hood within a very, very short time.
“I want to thank the media for joining us in this crusade against those people who keep on stealing our energy. We want to make sure that whatever energy we sell, the revenue comes to the company not to individual pocket.
“We have just started, over the next few weeks about 14 people will be arrested and prosecuted we have already identified them,” she said.
She also said the searchlight was on unscrupulous staff, adding that the exercise was ongoing in Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti.
