Six Lagos Residents Arraigned for Energy Theft Charges

On February 7, 2026, six Lagos residents—Abiodun Aremu (40), Okwori Joseph (40), Ebi Veronica (28), Vanella Macaulai (25), Loritta Etim (27), and Oyindamola Adekunle (31)—were arraigned for alleged energy theft. They were apprehended during a raid at No. 11 Mayowa Hassan Street, Marshi Hill Estate, Okeira Nla, Ajah, Lagos State.

The suspects are facing two counts of charges: the first count accuses them of conspiracy to commit a felony by appropriating power, contrary to Section 411 and punishable under Section 412 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015. The second count charges them with fraud for abstractly diverting electrical power from the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, punishable under Section 295(1) of the same law.

The prosecution argued that the illegal connections did not result in significant financial loss for the distribution company but compromised the safety and stability of the power network in Ajah. Babatunde Lasaki, the General Manager of Corporate Communications at Eko DisCo, reiterated the company's zero-tolerance policy against energy theft, emphasizing its detrimental impact on service delivery and infrastructure integrity.