**Organises protests at BEDC textile mill office
As Benin Electricity Distribution Plc. (BEDC) intensifies enforcement on illegal connections and energy theft, it has emerged that among the houses disconnected for bypass of prepaid meter and non-payment of electricity bills was the residence in which Omobude Agho, Director General, Edo State Civil Society has vested interest in.
The debt owed by customers in the flats were as follows; N49,344, N54, 424.67 and N79,361.08, all totalling over N183,000.00.
Recall that BEDC officials had on Wednesday during a disconnection exercise round the Ugbowo Business unit locations visited Okhoro axis of Benin City on routine disconnection of indebted customers.
The officials were later joined by Business Manager, Ugbowo, business unit, Agron Kanbari and Head, Distribution, Engr. Francis Iyayi who were out to monitor activities of the disconnection teams.
Having successfully disconnected the block of flats and moved to other houses where cases of bypassing of meters were found and also disconnected, a crowd led by Omobude Ahom emerged suddenly after the disconnection of his flat and accosted BEDC officials that they had no right to embark on disconnection of customers in that area which they came to resist.
It was learnt that a crowd surrounded BEDC officials, retrieved all the disconnected service wires from one of our Hilux vehicles and started shouting at BEDC men. In a bid to prevent the situation from further escalating, Agron requested that BEDC officials should leave the scene immediately.
Meanwhile Omobude not yet satisfied with his obstruction of BEDC activities again last Thursday, led his men to BEDC’s Ugbowo Business Unit office at Textile-Mill Road, to protest against the incident of the previous day. He accused BEDC of flouting a court order which ruled against a tariff increase, intimidation of customers with security operatives while disconnecting customers and also, illegal extortion of money from customers through estimated billings.
After he and his men were done with their dancing and singing, without addressing his indebtedness and the issue of bypass, an act regarded as criminal under the law they then departed.
Reacting, Agron Kambari, Business Manager, Ugbowo business unit, said “this customer is giving a very bad message to all the others. He is calling very openly customers in the public not to pay electricity bills and to do bypass. We will continue to monitor and control this customer, but let it be known that illegal reconnection is a crime punishable under the laws of Nigeria.”
