The Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) said it lost over N84 million revenue due to illegal connections and meter tampering at Rijiyar Zaki area in Kano metropolis in June.

Already, no fewer than 10,000 houses had been disconnected by a Special Task Force set up by the company to carry out the exercise.

The Head, Corporate Communications of the company, Mr Sani Bala-Sani, disclosed this to newsmen shortly after visiting the affected area in Kano on Friday.

“Last month four million kilowatts hour was supplied in the area which represents N118 million revenue but only N34 million was collected from the area.

“There is huge commercial loss because only 29 per cent of the revenue was collected from customers at Rijiyar Zaki area,” he said.

Bala-Sani said a total of 13,200 pre-paid meters were found to have been by-passed by the customers in the area, pointing out that those found to be involved in the fraud would be penalised.

“We installed 13,200 meters in the area but a lot of them were discovered to have been by-passed and this is unacceptable.

He said the Task Force, which comprised the police, NSCDC, Hisbah and vigilantes, would continue to go round the metropolis to check the ugly trend.

He advised customers to avoid tampering with the meters, to avoid possible fire outbreak or electrocution.

He disclosed that the Task Force had, on Thursday, arrested two persons trying to tamper with their meters.

He said henceforth anyone caught in the act would be arrested and prosecuted as the company would no longer tolerate such illegal activities.