The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has taken an unconventional approach to addressing the issues of transformer vandalism and meter bypassing, publicly cursing offenders in a post shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) account. The message, written in Pidgin English, reads: “E no go beta for who dey vandalize transformer and who dey bypass.”
The post, shared on Thursday morning, has sparked widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians expressing surprise at the tone used by the electricity provider. While some supported BEDC’s frustration over the challenges posed by vandals and bypassers, others criticized the company for what they described as an unprofessional response.
Several users on X highlighted longstanding grievances with BEDC’s operations, including poor service delivery, exorbitant costs of prepaid meters, and community-funded transformer repairs. One user commented, “Transformers una no dey buy; na community dey contribute money to take buy am. Una go still bill dem after installation.”
Others pointed out that BEDC’s inability to provide consistent electricity supply contributes to the vandalism problem. “If una dey give light steady, nobody go near high voltage transformer to vandalize am,” another user remarked.
BEDC is responsible for electricity distribution in Delta, Edo, Ekiti, and Ondo states. However, residents in these areas have frequently accused the company of neglecting its responsibilities. Protests against prolonged power outages have become common in recent years. In April 2024, over 20,000 Edo residents petitioned the House of Representatives over a nine-month blackout in their communities. Similarly, Ondo residents staged demonstrations last July over BEDC’s failure to restore power after years of darkness.
In response to widespread electricity theft and tampering across Nigeria, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) issued new penalties earlier this year. The regulations impose fines ranging from N100,000 for first-time offenders with single-phase meters to 600% of a customer’s last bill for repeat offenses involving maximum demand users. NERC aims to curb illegal connections and ensure fair metering practices across the country.
BEDC’s social media post may have been intended as a deterrent against vandalism and meter bypassing, it has instead reignited public frustrations over the company’s performance. Many Nigerians are calling for improved service delivery rather than emotional outbursts from a critical utility provider.
