The management of Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC (EEDC) is not relenting in its effort to prosecute any individual or group that assaults any of her personnel while carrying out their legitimate duties.
Stressing that a situation where her staff on duty are assaulted and the perpetrators get away with it can no longer to be tolerated.
This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen over the weekend by the Head of Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh.
According to Ezeh, just last week Wednesday, a 37 year-old man identified as Chibuzor Obidinma, an indigene of Ezinifite, Okpuno in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State was arraigned before the Anambra State Chief Magistrate Court holden at Awka for assaulting a staff of EEDC while on official duty.
The long arm of the law eventually caught up with Obidinma after a long search, on the 3rd September, 2019, following his attack on a staff of EEDC on 18th July, 2019, where he used machete to cut the EEDC staff on his head, leaving him with server wound, an offence punishable under Section 290 of the Criminal Code Cap 36 Vol.II Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991 as amended.
Ezeh disclosed that Obidinma was slammed with a count charge and was remanded in prison custody, while the case was adjourned till 23rd October, 2019.
Also, in a related development, the duo of Ifeanyi Eze and Nkemdilim Ngwoke were arraigned by the Police at the Enugu State Magistrate Court holden in Nsukka on 29th August, 2019, following their attack on some staff of EEDC on 27th August 2019 at Oliveth Hill, Umeano-Ogbuka Nsukka during their masquerade festival.
It was gathered that the EEDC staff were thoroughly beaten up by the duo, while the windscreen of the hired vehicle used by the EEDC team was smashed.
Ifeanyi and Nkemdilim were slammed with four counts charge. They were granted bail by the presiding Magistrate and the case adjourned to the 10th of October, 2019.
The management of EEDC frowns at these actions and will not hesitate in ensuring that the law takes its course.
"We hope to get justice and believe others will learn their lesson from this”, Ezeh said.
Customers are therefore advised not to take laws into their hands. Where there are grievances, they are encouraged to follow the established redress mechanism approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to channel their complaints. The regulation also provides opportunity to escalate issues to the nearest NERC Forum Offices within their area, for further intervention.