The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has urged the Nigeria Police Force to intensify efforts to curb energy theft and the vandalism of critical electricity infrastructure across the country.
Tegbe made the call during a visit to the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, where both sides discussed stronger security measures to protect facilities critical to the nation’s power supply.
According to a statement issued by the police on Wednesday, the meeting focused on the security challenges affecting the power sector, particularly the increasing cases of vandalism and electricity theft.
The minister reportedly appealed for greater collaboration with the police to improve surveillance around key power installations and ensure that individuals involved in stealing electricity or damaging infrastructure are apprehended and prosecuted.
The statement said the discussions centred on “tackling critical security challenges impacting the power sector, specifically the rampant vandalisation of national power infrastructure and widespread energy theft.”
Tegbe also sought the police’s continued support in protecting power assets nationwide and strengthening security around strategic installations.
Responding, the Inspector-General of Police assured the minister of the Force’s commitment to protecting electricity infrastructure and taking action against those involved in crimes affecting the power sector.
According to the statement, “Disu reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to safeguarding critical national infrastructure, bolstering energy security, and decisively prosecuting perpetrators of power sector crimes.”
The meeting comes amid persistent challenges in Nigeria’s electricity sector, with energy theft and the destruction of power infrastructure contributing to significant financial losses and disruptions in electricity supply.
The vandalism of power lines, transformers and other critical equipment has also been identified as one of the factors affecting the reliability of electricity distribution and the stability of the national grid.
The minister was accompanied by senior officials of the Ministry of Power, including the Permanent Secretary, Mahmud Mamman; Director of Distribution, Mustapha Baba-Umara; Director of Energy Resources, Kingsley Eneh; and Special Assistant to the Minister, Martins Olajide.
