By Dada AYOKHAI
The management of Ossiomo Power Company in Ologbo near Benin City, has accused the Edo State Police Command of double standards in its actions as they affect the company.
The management of the company in a press statement in Benin City, alleged that each time the company reported theft of its high valued equipment to the police, such issues are treated with levity, and swept under the carpet but the police would swing into action against the company under any flimsy excuses.
It is on record that Ossiomo Power Company has on several occasions reported cases of destruction, vandalization and stealing of its expensive equipment by the agents of darkness and enemies of light but the police did not do anything about them.
The company says the market value of the electricity equipment so far stolen from the premises of Ossiomo Power Company in Ologbo between September 2025 and September 2026, is more than 100 million naira.
In November 2025, the company reported a case of vandalization of its 33kv lines – 3 lengths of 15 meters each 185mm XLPE cables. This case was reported to the State CID, Benin City, but up till date, they did nothing about it.
Besides, it says on September 23, this year, some CCETC staff supported by their hired thugs in broad day light went and vandalize Ossiomo Power Company’s cables and conductors. Some of those who illegally trespassed and illegally removed the high valued equipment included Success Osagie (CCETC staff), Alao KAYODE (also CCETC staff), Felix Okotie, Friday Ehis, Julius Pama and Ayo Imafidon (all alleged CCETC thugs), as well as other unknown faces who also participated in the theft. The matter was reported to the police and nothing came out of it.
Interestingly, some of the alleged stolen expensive electricity equipment were some days after the theft, were recovered at the premises of the Ologbo Division of the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force.
The management of Ossiomo Power Company further alleged that after its staff discovered the company’s stolen property in the Ologbo police station, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr. Azuonwu Gideon, later released the electricity equipment to the company.
Subsequently, three trucks were used to convey the recovered armoured cables and conductors
earlier vandalized and stolen in broad daylight by the alleged CCETC staff and CCETC thugs, back to the Ossiomo Power Company premises.
In all these, not one person was arrested or questioned by the police despite the glaring evidence against them.
But as fate would have it, some armed thieves last Wednesday night forced their way into the Ossiomo’s IPP2 plant and were cutting and trying to steal some of the company’s cables, when one of the mobile policemen on guard duty at the premises shot and injured one of the alleged armed thieves in the leg.
For the Edo State Police high command, this was not to be as the police officer involved in the shooting was arrested and detained at the criminal investigation department of the state police headquarters, and as at press time, the said police officer was still in detention.
According to the management of Ossiomo Power Company, the police will not act when its property are being destroyed, vandalized or stolen, but will happily arrest one of its members doing his legitimate duties.
We view this arrest as one too many because by the behaviours of the police of the Edo State Police Command, it is becoming very obvious that they are working against the interest of Ossiomo Power Company for whatever reasons. We are aware that the police force should not take sides on security matters but unfortunately, the state police command has made our case different.
Sadly enough, only in the morning of Thursday (29/10/2026), another set of thieves, three in number again went to the premises of Ossiomo’s IPP2 power plant and vandalize some of its sensitive electricity equipment and attempted to get away with th
