KEY POINTS
- Six Lagos residents were arraigned for allegedly bypassing electricity meters and diverting power illegally.
- Prosecutors say energy theft causes financial losses and destabilises power supply infrastructure.
- EKEDC says it will continue prosecuting offenders to deter illegal connections and protect paying customers.
The Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKEDC, has arraigned six residents of Lagos for alleged electricity theft and conspiracy following their arrest during a raid carried out on February 7, 2026.
The defendants; Abiodun Aremu, Okwori Joseph, Ebi Veronica, Vanella Macaulay, Loritta Etim, and Oyindamola Adekunle, were brought before Magistrate T. M. Kassim Adeyelure at Court 6 of the Eti-Osa Magisterial District. Authorities alleged they bypassed official metering systems at a residence on Mayowa Hassan Street, Marshy-Hill Estate, Okeira Nla, Ajah, in Lagos State.
According to court documents, the accused persons face a two-count charge. The first alleges conspiracy to commit a felony, specifically the unlawful appropriation of electricity, an offence punishable under Sections 411 and 412 of Lagos State’s Criminal Law.
The second count accuses them of fraudulently diverting electricity supplied by EKEDC for personal use, an offence punishable under Section 295(1) of the same law.
Power theft threatens infrastructure and service delivery
Prosecutors argued that illegal power connections not only cause financial losses to the distribution company but also destabilise electricity infrastructure and reduce supply quality for legitimate consumers in the Ajah area.
Reacting to the case, EKEDC’s General Manager of Corporate Communications, Babatunde Lasaki, reiterated the company’s strict stance against energy theft. He described such actions as sabotage that overloads transformers, weakens voltage quality, and undermines service delivery for paying customers.
EKEDC emphasised that electricity diversion is a criminal offence that disrupts efforts to provide stable and sustainable power. The company stated it will continue identifying and prosecuting offenders to serve as a deterrent and protect its infrastructure as well as compliant consumers.
