The Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has called for the intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to tackle vandalism and energy theft threatening Nigeria’s power sector.
Tegbe made the call on Tuesday, when he led a delegation from the Ministry of Power on a courtesy visit to the EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The minister said vandalism and energy theft were causing significant financial losses to the sector, with billions of naira lost annually as a result of the criminal activities.
According to him, the Ministry of Power lacks the statutory authority to prosecute offenders involved in vandalism and electricity theft, hence the need for stronger collaboration with the EFCC.
“There are two areas where we need your intervention. One area is vandalism. There is a lot of vandalism going on in this country,” Tegbe said.
He said the activities of vandals had affected critical infrastructure, including electricity transmission towers, while valuable items such as manhole covers were also being stolen.
Tegbe said the Federal Government was determined to raise public awareness and prosecute both those stealing critical infrastructure and those purchasing stolen materials.
However, he noted that the ministry could only report suspected offenders to relevant law enforcement agencies, stressing that the EFCC’s intervention was necessary for effective investigation and prosecution.
The minister also identified energy theft as another major challenge, particularly among companies that consume electricity without paying their bills.
“The second area is energy theft.
Companies that have access to power do not pay electricity bills. We are losing billions annually. We need your intervention,” he said.
Tegbe commended Olukoyede for what he described as significant achievements in the investigation and prosecution of economic and financial crimes, as well as the recovery of proceeds of crime.
He expressed optimism that closer cooperation between the Ministry of Power and the EFCC would help reduce criminal activities undermining the sector and support efforts to improve electricity supply nationwide.
The minister also appreciated the EFCC for its intervention in the legal dispute that had stalled the 215-megawatt Kudendan Power Plant project in Kaduna State.
Responding, Olukoyede described vandalism and energy theft as forms of revenue fraud and “major concerns and acts of economic sabotage”.
He assured the minister of the Commission’s readiness to collaborate with the ministry to protect public resources and strengthen accountability in power-sector projects.
Olukoyede specifically pledged to introduce Fraud Risk Assessment and Control mechanisms across the ministry’s projects, including abandoned and newly initiated projects.
“We are ready to work with you, particularly in the area of incorporating Fraud Risk Assessment and Control to all your projects; both the abandoned ones and the new ones coming up,” he said.
The EFCC chairman disclosed that the Commission would constitute a team to analyse and audit some of the projects as part of efforts to identify vulnerabilities and prevent financial losses.
He further assured the ministry of EFCC support in monitoring ongoing projects, stressing that preventive measures must be taken before funds are diverted.
“We must not wait till monies are stolen, particularly on sensitive projects. It is not going to be business as usual,” Olukoyede said.