Meter bypass: Police nab two women in Edo

Operatives of the Edo Police Command arrested two middle-aged women, Mrs. Bright Isibor and Mrs. Evelyn Eriamator, on Friday for allegedly bypassing their prepaid meters in Benin.

Supreme reports that a combined team of police personnel and BEDC staff went round the Benin metropolis in search of offenders.

During the operation, two women were arrested by the police, while two others escaped.

Speaking to reporters shortly after the exercise, Mrs. Evelyn Gbiwen, the corporate communications officer, said the exercise was to ensure that all revenue comes into the company's pocket.

Gbiwen said, "We 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 it."

"We want to keep on arresting these people to serve as a deterrent to those who are engaging in criminal infractions such as bypassing illegal connections, load diversion, and others."

"The new management of BEDC is not going to take any infraction lightly that will result in a loss of revenue."

"We have a target to take this company out of the woods 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 and 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.

According to her, "this issue of infractions is not only for customers, our search light is also on our staff, as you can see we have our anti-corruption numbers everywhere for people to call in.

She disclosed that the exercise will cover four states – Edo, Delta, Ondo, and Ekiti.