NNEWI — Umuodum Village, Ogba Quarters, Mgbakwu Town in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N36 million electricity payment fraud involving the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and some former executives of the community.
The community is also demanding an explanation over an electricity bill of N38,123,672.73 which it said was presented by EEDC despite claims that the community had previously contributed and paid money for the settlement of the same bill.
The petition, signed by Chukwuebuka Daniel Nweke Odum and Chukwuma Austin Igboanugo, was addressed to the EFCC Executive Chairman and named the Awka District Business Manager of EEDC and some former executives of the village.
The petitioners urged the commission to investigate the alleged financial crime and recover the N36 million they claimed had been contributed by members of the community to settle its electricity debt.
The community alleged that EEDC disconnected electricity supply to the village over an outstanding bill of N38,123,672.73.
According to the petitioners, the development prompted them to seek explanations from Prof. Augustine Odum and Chief Johnbosco Okafor over the whereabouts of money allegedly handed to Okafor, who was then Chairman of the Umuodum Ogba Village Development Union, for payment of the electricity bill.
The community said its concerns were heightened by an alleged handover report accepted by Odum from Okafor, which it claimed did not mention any unpaid electricity bill or missing funds.
The petitioners further accused EEDC management of complicity and attempting to cover up the alleged fraud, citing the manner in which the outstanding electricity bill was subsequently delivered to the community.
According to the community, “The EEDC knows that Izuchukwu Abana is the current Caretaker Chairman of Umuodum Ogba Village Development Union because the EEDC gave him the company’s printout of the history of the indebtedness now in issue.”
It added: “For EEDC to have given the company’s printout to Izuchukwu Abana, who is the current Caretaker Chairman of Umuodum Ogba Village Development Union and the same company delivering the demand letter to the Youth Leader is self-evident proof that the EEDC knows that it is acting in collusion with those who have embezzled the monies contributed for the payment of community electricity bill, to provoke community crisis.”
The community said it could not be expected to contribute money a second time to settle a bill it believed had already been paid.
“We are therefore, asking the EFCC Executive Chairman for thorough investigation of the financial crime herein reported and also tracing and recovery of the community’s N36 million the past executives claimed to have paid the EEDC,” it said.
It also requested police protection for community officials and members who had demanded an account of the missing funds.
The community’s petition followed proceedings before the Awka Forum of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), where officials of First Power Electricity Distribution Company (FPEDC), which replaced EEDC, appeared in connection with the complaint.
According to the petitioners, NERC directed FPEDC to provide documentation confirming payment or otherwise, while also asking the former executive that handed over the records and the official who received them to provide details of the alleged payment.
The commission was also said to have directed the distribution company to petition the EFCC and involve security agencies where individuals were found culpable.
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