The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has arraigned six individuals in a Lagos court on charges of energy theft and conspiracy.
The defendants — Abiodun Aremu (40), Okwori Joseph (40), Ebi Veronica (28), Vanella Macaulay (25), Loritta Etim (27), and Oyindamola Adekunle (31) — appeared before Presiding Magistrate Mrs. T. M. Kassim Adeyelure at Court 6, Eti-Osa Magisterial District.
They were arrested on February 7, 2026, following a raid at No. 11, Mayowa Hassan Street, Marshy-Hill Estate, Okeira Nla, Ajah, Lagos State. Authorities allege that the suspects bypassed EKEDC’s metering system to illegally access electricity.
The six face a two-count charge:
1. Conspiracy to commit a felony, namely the appropriation of power, contrary to Section 411 and punishable under Section 412 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
2. Fraudulently abstracting and diverting electrical power supplied by EKEDC for their personal use, an offence punishable under Section 295(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
Prosecutors stated that such illegal connections cause substantial financial losses to the distribution company and endanger the stability and safety of the power network, particularly in the Ajah area.
Commenting on the development, Mr. Babatunde Lasaki, General Manager of Corporate Communications at EKEDC, said:
“Energy theft is a major sabotage against our efforts to provide stable electricity to our esteemed customers. When people abstract power illegally, they overload our transformers and compromise the voltage quality for those who are paying diligently. This legal action is necessary not just to recover revenue, but to protect the integrity of our infrastructure and ensure fairness for our loyal customers.”
EKEDC reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on electricity diversion, describing it as a criminal act that undermines sustainable power supply to law-abiding consumers. The company vowed to continue identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting offenders to the fullest extent of the law as a deterrent to others.
The case is ongoing in the Eti-Osa Magisterial District court.
