Anambra residents protest release of electricity company staff over vandalism

Residents of Odeagba and Arthur Eze Avenue in Awka, Anambra State, have protested alleged release of two officers of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company involved in vandalism of a transformer in the area by the police. The protesters, who marched round major streets of the town, disrupted commercial activities at the EEDC office for several […]

Residents of Odeagba and Arthur Eze Avenue in Awka, Anambra State, have protested alleged release of two officers of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company involved in vandalism of a transformer in the area by the police.

The protesters, who marched round major streets of the town, disrupted commercial activities at the EEDC office for several hours, expressing surprise that the officials allegedly caught vandalising a transformer in the area were freed by the police.

Led by the Chairman of Arthur Eze Business Association, Amaechi Okeke, the group also lamented the over nine months power outage the area had suffered since October 2016 when the Arthur Eze sub-station/transformer was vandalized.

"Two officials of the electricity company operating in a black Golf were arrested for allegedly vandalising the transformer in the area and handed over to the police.

“We were surprised that the police later released the suspects on grounds that they were not criminals.

“Despite several appeals to EEDC, we have been left in darkness for long and this has affected us tremendously since then," Okeke said.

When contacted on the telephone, the Police Public Relations Officer, Nkeiruka Nwode denied any knowledge of the matter