By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos—The Upper Sharia Court sitting in Toro, Bauchi State, has convicted a vandal, Julabib Muhammad, of destroying a transformer belonging to Jos Electricity Distribution Company, JED Plc.

Recall that recently, the company had intensified efforts in preserving its property as its crack down on infrastructure sabotage and the latest conviction, the company believes would deter others from engaging in any action inimical to its business.

The company’s acting Head of Corporate Communications and Brand Management, Saratu Aliyu, in a statement in Jos, Plateau State, yesterday described the ruling as “an answered prayer to the menace of incessant vandalism that has plagued the JED Plc network in recent times,” and expressed hope that “the conviction would serve as a deterrent to others.”

She noted, “The company’s productivity is severely hampered when funds that should be directed toward network expansion and strategic upgrades are frequently diverted to rehabilitate vandalized infrastructure.”

She called on all stakeholders, particularly host communities, to “actively support the protection of JED Plc’s transformers and other electrical assets within their environments.”

Aliyu commended the Toro community in Bauchi State for their vigilance, which helped thwart a recent attempted act of vandalism, during which already vandalized items were recovered