Offenders Face 14-Years Jail Term as Electricity Assets Theft, Vandalism Take Toll on Power Sector
CHIGOZIE AMADI
As the mindless theft and vandalism of power infrastructure continue in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has reminded receivers of stolen electricity assets in Nigeria that they face at least 14 years in jail.
In a note yesterday, NERC reeled out other severe penalties as contained in the new Electricity Act (EA), noting that a fine of at least N2 million or a prison term of up to six years, or both, also await any person who obstructs, harasses, or injures persons lawfully carrying out duties on behalf of a licensee, franchisee, or permit holder.
Aside from the intermittent attacks on electricity infrastructure owned by Distribution Companies (Discos) and Generation Companies (Gencos), the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had recently faced massive destruction and stealing of its assets, throwing the nation into darkness.
Due to the enormity of the danger they pose to the sector, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, had recently proposed the death sentence for persons who willfully attack and destroy these assets which further stunt the growth of the beleaguered industry.
Beyond leaving communities without power, the actions of the vandals often lead to financial losses for power distribution companies, affecting their ability to invest in infrastructure upgrades, while damaged power infrastructure requires costly repairs.
In just five days this January alone, over 18 transmission towers belonging to the TCN were vandalised between January 9 and 14, 2025, across Rivers and two other states, with the surge in attacks prompting TCN to seek military support.
“ A 14-year jail term (awaits) persons who receive stolen electrical property or a fine of not more than three times the value of the stolen property or both jail term and fine,” NERC said in its explanatory note.
Any unauthorised connection or reconnection or altering of any meter, it said, attracts a jail term of up to three years or fine not exceeding N500,000 with an additional fine of N10,000 for every continuing day of the offence.
Besides, physically attacking a staff of a licensee or permit holder in the course of discharging his lawful duties, NERC said, is punishable with a fine of up to N1 million or imprisonment of up to six months or both.
NERC further warned Nigerians that unauthorised ownership or engagement in electricity business remains an offence punishable with a fine of at least 10 times the application and license fees for the contravened license or a jail term of up to five years, or both as well as an order for permanent forfeiture of the undertaking to NERC.
Any person who impersonates an employee of a licensee, franchisee, or permit holder, it said, is liable to a fine of N300,000 or a prison term of at least seven years, or both, NERC warned.
It added: A daily penalty not exceeding N20 million (is the penalty) for non-compliance by a licensee with an order of the commission. Any person who intentionally cuts off any electric supply line with intent to cut off the supply of electricity commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than N300,000.
“Any person who aids, counsels or abets the commission of an offence also commits an offence under the Act and is liable on conviction to the fine or imprisonment prescribed for the offence. Where an offence is committed by a company every principal officer responsible for the conduct of the business at that time and the company itself shall be liable.
“Acts of non-compliance or contravention of any provisions of the Act or any regulatory instrument attract a jail term of not more than three months or a fine of N500,000 and an additional daily penalty of not more than N100,000 for a continuing offence,” NERC added.
According to NERC, N300,000 is applicable to anyone who damages any electricity supply material, while the damaged material or line must also be restored.
“Purposeful destruction of public streetlights attracts a fine of up to N200,000. Any false declaration made under the Electricity Act attracts a fine of not more than 100,000 or a jail term of not more than six months or both fine and jail term,” it noted.
For persons who unlawfully tap electricity, engage in illegal connection and carry out meter tampering or bypassing, NERC said they risk a three-year jail term or a fine or both for theft.
Recently reacting to the frequent vandalism of power infrastructure, Adelabu stated that Nigeria must mete out harsher punishments for offenders. He said that the issue of power infrastructure vandalism and theft was one of the sector’s current problems.
“The ministry of power and agencies under it are pushing for capital punishment for those involved in vandalism and power theft of all forms. Capital punishment is not too much because they are gradually killing the nation. They are killing the economy. They are killing the people.
“Vandals are getting too much comfort all over transmission and distribution power assets. This is not only frustrating our efforts to achieve uninterrupted power supply; it is driving the nation backwards,” he lamented.
