Tension flared at the Dawaki Police Quarters in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory on Friday after staff from the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company were reportedly attacked during an enforcement drive targeting suspected electricity theft inside the estate.
The clash unfolded during what officials described as a coordinated operation that paired AEDC revenue-protection personnel with security operatives. The action followed intelligence indicating that meter bypass schemes and other unlawful connection methods had become widespread in the area.
Enforcement operation and escalation
- Officials entered the Dawaki Police Quarters to disconnect illegal electricity connections and bring affected installations back to their approved metering setup, after months of customer engagement, sensitisation, and warnings about electricity theft.
- During the exercise, the enforcement team reportedly identified more than 15 residential premises with allegedly bypassed electricity meters.
- Investigators also said the power supply feeding the estate’s security gate had been linked through an unauthorized bypass arrangement.
- Eyewitness accounts stated that the operation later turned violent when some residents resisted the exercise and prevented the officials from leaving the estate.
- Several members of the enforcement team were reported injured in the confrontation, with some officials’ mobile phones allegedly taken and associated photographs and video evidence deleted.
- Although there were no reported deaths, injured staff were later taken for medical attention.
- People familiar with the incident said the case was subsequently reported to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) overseeing the area before the enforcement officials were able to exit the estate.
AEDC condemned the incident, calling the attack unacceptable and insisting that employees performing lawful duties should not face violence or intimidation. Engr. Chijioke Okwuokenye, the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said the distributor would continue working to safeguard the integrity of its electricity network despite the assault.
Okwuokenye added that attacks on utility workers weaken efforts aimed at reducing electricity theft and improving service delivery. He urged residents to cooperate with authorized enforcement teams when they carry out official assignments.
In addition, the company appealed to customers to reject electricity theft, warning that illegal connections are criminal offences that also risk lives, damage electrical infrastructure, and raise system losses—factors that ultimately degrade service quality for customers who pay their bills. AEDC said it will keep working with security agencies to help identify those behind the attack and pursue prosecution in line with the law.
The incident comes as electricity distribution companies step up efforts across Nigeria to curb meter bypassing, illegal connections, and vandalism. Industry participants say these practices drive substantial commercial losses and undermine the financial stability of the power sector.
Recent discussions in the sector have also pushed for tighter enforcement and quicker legal action against offenders involved in electricity theft and attacks on utility workers. Analysts have highlighted that assaults on electricity staff carrying out lawful duties are becoming a growing concern.
Earlier this year, an AEDC employee was allegedly assaulted in Nasarawa State while trying to disconnect an illegally reconnected customer, a development that reignited calls for stronger protection for utility personnel and stricter penalties for electricity theft.
