The Edo state Police Command has arrested two middle-aged women, Mrs Bright Isibor and Mrs Evelyn Eriamator, for allegedly bypassing their prepaid meters in Benin on Friday.
It was reported that a combined team of police personnel and BEDC staff went round the Benin metropolis in search of offenders.
The police arrested two women during the operation, while two others escaped.
The Corporate Communications Officer, Mrs. Evelyn Gbiwen, speaking to newsmen shortly after the exercise, said the exercise was to ensure that all revenue comes to the company’s pocket.
She said that they just went on a drive to make sure that those people who engage in criminal infractions on BEDC meters are brought to book.
We did a petition to the Commissioner of Police and within 48 hours he approved.
We want to keep on arresting these people to serve at a deterrent to those who are engaging in criminal infractions such as bypass illegal connection, load diversion and others.
The new management of BEDC is not going to take it lightly with any infraction that will result into loss of revenue.
We have a target to take this company out of the wood within a very, very short time.
I want to thank the media for joining us in this crusade against those people who keep on stealing our energy.
Some are stealing for business production without any regard for the losses they are creating for BEDC.
We want to make sure that whatever energy we sell, the revenue comes to the company not to individual pockets.
We have just started, over the next few weeks about 14 people will be arrested and prosecuted we have already identified them, she said.
Furthermore, she said this issue of infractions is not only for customers, it’s also on their staff.
She added that their anti-corruption numbers are everywhere for people to call in.
She also disclosed that the exercise will cover four states – Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti.