Instead of relying on practical steps or strategies to fight energy theft and the vandalism of transformers, Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) chose to curse offenders.

“E no go beta for who dey vandalise transformer and who dey bypass,” BEDC wrote on X on Wednesday afternoon.

Now, Nigerians are teaching the electricity distribution company better solutions to tackle the issues.

For many X users, apart from the fact that curses won’t stop vandalism, energy theft, illegal connections, meter tampering and bypass, it is unbefitting of such an institution to resort to offensive language.

Lekan Kudeti’s comment suggests that consumers without prepaid meters often bear the cost of offenders who bypass meters. He wrote, “Wahala for who no get prepaid [meter]. People without prepaid meters bear the cost of those who bypass their meters. Units consumed, as shown on the transformer, are shared to houses based on estimates, hence, crazy bills.”

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X users @Extrafemi also recommended the use of tamper-proof technology to combat energy theft. “You know, there is this brilliant new invention called ‘tamper-proof’. Don’t know if you’ve heard of it,” he wrote in a sarcastic tone.

For Yemi, “Curses are all well and good, but identifying vandals and thieves and prosecuting them is better”.

The comments section of BEDC’s post also contains reactions decrying erratic power supply, residents being compelled to pool personal funds to fix transformers because the company wouldn’t do its job, the burden of ‘crazy’ monthly energy bills and more.

X user Aloba Gideon wrote, “…same applies to who does not give light but keeps increasing tariff.”

Another user lamented, “E no go beta for who decide to dey distribute 4 hours light per day.” Abidemi Babaolowo added, “Na Ogun go kill who dey bring crazy bill go people house without metering them or giving them electricity wey reach the amount wey dem dey knack.”

Osagie Iyoha wrote, “Transformers una no dey buy, even cable kpa-kpa una no dey buy. Prepaid metre wey una suppose give customers una go dey sell am at exorbitant prices. Light we no dey see but una must still collect money. How life wan take better for una?”

“As you talk am e good e no go better for una cause an we dey use our money fix transformer for this side,” stated another user. A user revealed, “Meter wey I recharge since November, units still full inside because una light na view once.”

Osaro’s response to BEDC’S post reads: “Transformer Una nor dey provide, na community dey contribute money to take buy am. Dem go still call una to come install am una go still bill dem. Na community still dey contribute money to take buy pole. Una own na to come dey disturb for light.”

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BEDC is responsible for the retail distribution of electricity in Delta, Edo, Ekiti and Ondo states.

Residents’ frustrations have previously culminated in formal actions. For instance, in April 2024, over 20,000 residents of some communities in Edo petitioned the House of Representatives over a nine-month power outage.

In July, Ondo residents also staged a protest due to BEDC’s failure to restore power in their communities after years of blackout. 2023 also saw Delta residents protesting the exorbitant bills and epileptic power supply experienced in some areas.