Crime
Exposed: It’s unlawful to pay EEDC for installation of donated transformers- NERC
Staff of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, the regulatory agency overseeing EEDC, Mr Emeka Odoemelam, has openly confessed to the Abia State House of Assembly that the power company has been exploiting the people.
The NERC representative was present when the Assembly summoned EEDC over issues affecting the distribution company and power consumers in the state.
Odoemelam posited that a situation where the Honourable Members in carrying out their social responsibilities donate transformers and are still charged extra money by EEDC Is unacceptable.
“It is our duty to ensure that customers are not exploited.”
He stunned the Assembly by announcing that there is a provision in the commission’s regulations which states that once you are contributing any asset to any Distribution Company, such donation should not be entirely free.
He advised the House to always engage the distribution company anytime they want to donate transformers because there should be some compensation for a donor which is a standard practice.
”As you donate, you should demand because it is your right to be compensated on the asset you are donating and that is what the Law says”, Mr Odoemelam exposed.
Reacting to a question from Hon Emeka Okoroafor, Member representing Isuikwuato State Constituency, if the EEDC was following the capping order as reached in an agreement sometime past, Odoemelam answered in the negative.
He said that service providers have not complied to the directive of the 2020 capping order which states that certain amount of kilowatts should be given to customers.
“They have not really complied to the directives but due to the Covid 19 pandemic, the agency was limited to traveling but that in the last few months, the commission has been going round the country trying to get information from customers to determine whether the service providers were fully in compliance with that order.”
He further said the result of that tour by the commission has not been so pleasant because they have seen some level of deviations from the regulations but that the commission doesn’t just take action on the service providers without having sufficient watertight information on their infractions, hence, the reason it seems they are not fast in wielding the big stick.
Mr Odoemelam stated that last week, they were in Umuahia to take customers complaints and to look at estimates. “Once the commission is done with field works, it will get the level of non-compliance, and necessary sanctions placed on the Distribution Company.”
He added that he is from Umuahia and “I can tell the house for free that even in my house the approved capping is not followed, but the commission, like I said earlier, we will follow up this logically and where they are found wanting, they will be sanctioned accordingly”, he said.
Mr Odoemelam said the Commission was also in Enugu three weeks ago and saw EEDC taking delivery of 18,000 meters from the 40,000 allocated to the region
Abia state house of assembly under the leadership of the speaker Rt.Hon. Engr Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji condemned the mode of operations of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) in Abia State.
The house expressed displeasure with the way and manner the electricity distribution company has been conducting business in the state.
Speaker Rt.Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji stated that EEDC officials were summoned as a result of the incessant complaints of citizens concerning the activities of the electricity company in Abia.
The Speaker further said Abians are bitterly complaining about lack of prepaid metres and the ever increasing sums from estimated bills charged Abians which he described as totally unacceptable to the 7th Abia State House of Assembly.
During the session the The Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Ifeanyi Uchendu, also queried why a large part of his immediate constituency of Ohafia South has been in total blackout for months now.
Also collaborating what the deputy speaker said ,Hon Mandela Egwuronu Obasi, Member representing Ohafia North State Constituency on his part, asked why the EEDC is indirectly extorting Abians through high billings, demanding to know if the metres claimed to be primed for distribution in the State are for commercial or residential use because the company seems to channel their claws on commercial entities for extortion.
On his own part, Hon Ginger Onwusibe, Member representing Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency asked the EEDC official the plan of the company in metering rural areas which he said should be captured in the ongoing metering program.
He also wondered why someone would be expected to pay a huge amount of money for energizing a transformer even after donating it to a community but which eventually becomes the property of EEDC.
Hear him: “Why can’t your company appreciate such huge kind gestures, applaud the donor, energize the transformer then take whole possession of it”.
While responding to the plethora of issues raised by the Abia legislature, Mr Ozoezeh Onyebuchi, the Network Manager of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company stated that the company has installed over a thousand distribution substations at the cost of over N350,000,000. 00 (Three Hundred and Fifty Million Naira Only) in the last one year alone, and that installation of the substations was for the company to checkmate estimated billings.
He also said EEDC has installed 16,000 meters at the cost of over N800,000,000.00 (Eight Hundred Million Naira Only) in Abia State.
He added that the company has procured 3,000 meters that are currently being programmed and that their target is to meter all the customers in the State in due course.
Mr Ozoezeh was interrupted by the Abia speaker, who obviously not impressed by the EEDC team leader’s presentation.”You just told us what was installed, even with your explanations, that is still not clear. Between the last time we met and today, what has happened? What is new? Are there Metres for continued installation to the people? And how many customers do you have in Abia State? the Speaker asked.
Responding to this Mr Ozoezeh Onyebuchi said the company has 150,000 active customers in the State and that the available 3,000 metres are to be installed as part of progress in metreing the people.Also providing answers to the questions posed by the deputy speaker’s question, the EEDC representative adduced that Ohafia as the third largest commercial city in the State cannot be overlooked.
He said the issue of Ohafia was not solely the fault of EEDC, rather, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) should be held responsible for that. He further said the greatest challenge his company is experiencing in Ohafia Local Government Area was attacks from hoodlums because the company outfield engineers have been attacked and held hostage countless times while on duty in the area.
While also reacting to the questions raised by Hon Mandela Egwuronu Obasi, Member representing Ohafia North State Constituency on his part, asked why the EEDC is indirectly extorting Abians through high billings, demanding to know if the metres claimed to be primed for distribution in the State are for commercial or residential use because the company seems to channel their claws on commercial entities for extortion.Mr Ozoezeh said the meters are standardized and that the commercial metres are billed from source. He said the procured metres are for homes.
As a follow up to the questions raised by Hon.Mandela, Rt Hon Chikwendu Kalu, Member representing Isiala Ngwa South State Constituency, asked the Network Manager if the available 3,000 Metres were from the Federal Government or from EEDC.
Ozoezeh said the metres are from the Federal Government but that it is a kind of loan which the company will pay for later. He also said that metreing has been going on in Umuahia but that it is at minimal. He informed that the company planned to storm the State with the metres later this month.
Not happy with the EEDC official’s explanations and figures bandied as number of customers they have in the State, the Speaker said, “You are saying you have 53,000 customers in Umuahia, far more than you have in Aba; you can’t tell us you have less customers in Aba than Umuahia. I think you got your records wrong”, .
Mr Ozoezeh said the company has installed over a thousand distribution substation metres in the State, and that “as a matter of fact, in Umuahia District, we have metred over 80% of all all our transformers and we are also working with some rural areas even though most of them complain of high bills but we are working with them to bring down their consumption rate and energy management.
“About donations, the EEDC representative appreciated the Honourable Members especially the Speaker ,saying they have donated and installed countless number of transformers in their constituencies and beyond. He further added that these donations depend on the need for the transformers”.
A police corporal attached to the Ajaokuta Division of the Kogi State Police Command has reportedly shot his girlfriend dead before taking his own life with his service rifle.
The incident allegedly occurred around 9 p.m. on Friday, October 23, 2026, leaving both the officer and the woman dead.
According to a report by Veracity News, the officer allegedly shot the woman at close range before turning the weapon on himself.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, while the motive behind the alleged killings has yet to be established.
The bodies of the deceased were reportedly evacuated to a mortuary as investigations into the incident commenced.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Kogi State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Afusat, could not be reached for comment, according to the publication.
The incident is expected to be investigated to establish the circumstances leading to the deaths and determine the events that preceded the shooting.
As of the time of filing this report, no further details about the identities of the deceased or the outcome of the investigation had been provided in the original report.
Editor’s note: The incident and details in this report have not been independently verified. An official statement from the Kogi State Police Command would be needed to confirm the circumstances of the deaths.
A young woman identified as Messioma Nwaora, who was earlier reported missing, has reportedly been found dead in Uga, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Unverified reports circulating on social media allege that her former boyfriend, identified as Chima Emmanuel and said to be from Ebonyi State, killed her after she ended their relationship. The reports further claim that he strangled her with clothing, placed her body in a bag and transported it on a commercial motorcycle, popularly known as an okada.
The alleged confession and the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death have not been independently verified. Therefore, it cannot be conclusively established that the former boyfriend killed her.
As of the time of filing this report, the Anambra State Police Command had not issued an independently confirmed statement establishing the cause of death, confirming the identity of the deceased or stating whether a suspect had been arrested.
The reported death has prompted calls for a thorough investigation. Outstanding questions include where the body was recovered, how the woman died, whether Chima Emmanuel has been detained and whether investigators have obtained evidence linking him to the incident.
Further details are expected as reliable information becomes available.
A birthday party organised by popular Enugu socialite Nnaji Izuchukwu, popularly known as Stone, at Bull Hotel, Asata, Enugu, reportedly turned chaotic following a misunderstanding that allegedly prompted the hotel management to invite the police.
Stone, who was the celebrant, reportedly died from gunshot injuries sustained during the ensuing police operation.
Information available to Everydaynewsngr.net indicated that the misunderstanding at the birthday party degenerated into chaos, prompting the hotel management to call in operatives of the police Anti-Cultism Section.
In the confusion that followed, Stone was said to have attempted to escape through a window alongside another person before he sustained gunshot injuries.
However, the exact circumstances surrounding the shooting remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.
The Enugu State Police Command has since confirmed Stone’s death and ordered an investigation into the incident.
In a press release issued on Friday, October 23, 2026, the command said the Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, had directed a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the death and determine whether the operation and use of firearms complied with established operational standards and applicable laws.
According to the police, operatives of the Anti-Cultism Section of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) stormed Bull Hotel during an intelligence-led operation targeting Nworie Chidera Kelvin, popularly known as Akidi, an alleged drug dealer and member of the Vikings Confraternity.
The police said Akidi was suspected of involvement in several cases relating to cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.
The operation reportedly led to the arrest of Akidi and nine other suspects, comprising males and females aged between 17 and 28.
The police also said quantities of dried weeds suspected to be cannabis, a weighing scale allegedly used for measuring illicit drugs, and ₦43,400 in cash were recovered during the operation.
Giving its account of how Stone died, the command said preliminary findings indicated that he and another suspect jumped through a window in an attempt to escape.
The statement added that an operative pursuing the two suspects was allegedly confronted by them as they attempted to disarm him.
According to the police, the officer’s firearm discharged during the ensuing struggle, leaving Stone with gunshot injuries, while the other suspect escaped.
Stone was rushed to a hospital, where he was later confirmed dead. His remains have been deposited in a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
CP Giwa has directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Intelligence Department to establish the facts of the incident and determine whether the officers involved complied with operational standards and applicable laws.
The commissioner assured that any officer found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary action.
He also urged Stone’s family, associates and members of the public to remain calm, stressing that professionalism, ethical conduct and strict adherence to operational standards, particularly those governing the use of firearms, must be upheld during police operations.
The police statement was signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, on October 23, 2026.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Edo State Command, has launched a manhunt for a 28-year-old awaiting-trial inmate, Osita Thomas, who escaped while being taken to court for trial.
Thomas, an inmate of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Auchi, reportedly escaped last week during a court appearance over charges bordering on conspiracy and stealing.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Aminu Suleman, disclosed the development in a statement dated October 21, 2026, and made available to journalists in Benin City on Thursday.
Suleman said the Controller of Corrections in Edo State had directed intensified efforts towards apprehending the fugitive, assuring residents that security measures across custodial facilities had been strengthened to prevent similar incidents.
The Command appealed to members of the public with useful information about Thomas’s whereabouts to report to the nearest police station or custodial centre.
It also released two telephone numbers, 08038075882 and 08039243704, through which information could be provided to security authorities.
Meanwhile, an official of the Correctional Service attributed the escape to inadequate manpower, explaining that the officer escorting Thomas to court could not abandon other inmates in his custody to pursue the fleeing suspect.
According to the official, pursuing Thomas would have exposed the remaining inmates to possible escape.
The official further raised concerns over worsening personnel shortages in the Service, alleging that more than 1,000 officers were expected to retire this year without corresponding plans for fresh recruitment.
He called on the Federal Government to urgently address the manpower deficit, warning that inadequate personnel could continue to undermine the effective management and security of custodial facilities across the country.
An alleged employment racket involving 21 job seekers and N8.29 million has landed an Enugu-based businesswoman, Stella Ezinne Egotanwa, in the net of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The 45-year-old businesswoman is being investigated for allegedly collecting money from unsuspecting applicants under the guise of securing employment for them at a psychiatric hospital in Enugu State.
The EFCC, in a statement posted on its official X handle on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, disclosed that the suspect allegedly collected the money between December 28, 2025, and June 30, 2026, through bank accounts belonging to different Point of Sale (POS) operators.
According to the commission, trouble began for Egotanwa when 16 aggrieved job seekers petitioned the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), accusing her of collecting N6.193 million from them without delivering the promised jobs.
The petition subsequently led to her arrest by NSCDC operatives in Anambra State on July 30, 2026.
However, the case took another dimension when five additional victims approached the EFCC, alleging that the businesswoman had similarly defrauded them of N2,098,200 through promises of employment at the same hospital.
The fresh petitions brought the number of alleged victims to 21, with the total amount involved rising to N8,291,200.
One of the victims, who narrated his ordeal to investigators, claimed to have paid Egotanwa N1.05 million on December 28, 2025, believing that she had the connections to secure the promised employment.
“I made the payment in good faith because I believed that the employment opportunity she presented to me was genuine.
“However, after making the payment, the promised employment did not materialise. I subsequently experienced difficulty reaching her and there were periods she did not respond to my calls or messages,” the petitioner stated.
The anti-graft agency further disclosed that Egotanwa was already awaiting trial in a separate case involving a similar alleged employment scam.
It added that the suspect had admitted to the alleged offence during interrogation and would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The EFCC maintained that investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged fraudulent recruitment scheme.
Clarify the EFCC’s role in her arrest
Use consistent language for alleged victims
Tighten the opening for stronger impact
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