The Jos Electricity Distribution Plc (JED) has raised concerns over the growing rate of electricity theft in Plateau State, revealing that about 45 per cent of the energy supplied to the state is lost to illegal activities.

The Plateau State Chief Operating Officer of JED, Engr. Hamisu Wakili Jigawa, made the disclosure on Thursday during the company’s quarterly customer consultative forum in Jos.

Jigawa said the forum, organised in line with regulatory requirements, provides customers with an opportunity to engage directly with the company, present unresolved complaints and receive prompt resolutions.

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According to him, the initiative underscores JED’s commitment to strengthening customer relations and improving service delivery.

“This consultative forum is a regulatory requirement. It also gives customers who may not have access to our radio programmes or other communication channels the opportunity to present their complaints. Our technical, commercial and customer service teams are available to resolve issues immediately or shortly after the meeting,” he said.

Describing electricity theft as one of the biggest challenges confronting the company, Jigawa warned that the level of energy losses threatens the sustainability of electricity supply in Plateau State.

“The issue of energy theft has become a serious challenge for us. In Plateau alone, about 45 per cent of our energy is lost to theft. No business can survive with such a high level of losses,” he said.

To combat the problem, he said JED had introduced a whistleblower initiative known as PowerWatch, which encourages members of the public to report electricity theft, meter bypass, vandalism and other illegal activities affecting the company’s operations.

Under the initiative, members of the public whose reports lead to the detection of electricity theft or tampering with company installations will receive rewards.

Jigawa added that the whistleblower policy also covers cases of staff misconduct and urged customers to report unethical behaviour through the company’s telephone lines, email addresses and social media platforms.

He also disclosed that JED is collaborating with relevant authorities to strengthen the prosecution of electricity offenders, stressing that effective enforcement is critical to improving electricity supply.

“If we cannot recover payment for the energy supplied, there is no way the electricity market will continue to provide power that is not being paid for.

Ultimately, energy allocation to Plateau may reduce, affecting the 20 to 24 hours of electricity supply currently enjoyed in many parts of the state,” he warned.

Despite the challenge, Jigawa said Plateau remains one of JED’s best-performing franchise areas, with about 70 per cent of customers in Jos receiving more than 20 hours of electricity daily.

He added that the company plans to upgrade more feeders to Band A to enable additional communities benefit from improved electricity supply.

Also speaking, JED’s Chief Commercial Officer, Dr. Abubakar Ibrahim, announced that the company would distribute 109,000 free electricity meters to customers across Plateau, Bauchi, Benue and Gombe states under the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP).

He explained that the meters would be shared among customers in the company’s four franchise states and not exclusively for Plateau.

According to Ibrahim, JED has already distributed more than 20,000 free meters under an earlier Federal Government-backed metering programme, while customers also have the option of obtaining meters through the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.

He clarified that unlike the MAP scheme, where customers initially pay for meters and are later reimbursed through energy credits approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), meters distributed under DISREP and other government-backed initiatives are completely free.

He warned customers not to pay anyone for meters under the free metering programmes and advised anyone demanding payment to be reported to the nearest JED office or law enforcement agencies.

Ibrahim said Band A customers were being prioritised under the DISREP programme because they receive a minimum of 20 hours of electricity supply daily and pay cost-reflective tariffs.

Addressing complaints about outstanding debts appearing on newly installed prepaid meters, he explained that unpaid bills from the previous post-paid billing system are automatically transferred to the new meters.

He added that JED has introduced flexible repayment arrangements, allowing customers to offset outstanding debts in instalments through electricity vending.

According to him, customers owing less than ₦1 million can repay from as little as ₦2,000 monthly, while those with higher debts are placed on structured repayment plans.

Ibrahim said the consultative forum was organised to provide customers with a platform to lodge complaints, make suggestions and engage directly with the company’s management on ways to improve electricity service delivery.

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to adopt 112 as Nigeria’s single national emergency telephone number, marking a major step towards creating a unified emergency response system across the country.

The move was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, following a meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima and a delegation from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), led by the Chairman of its Governing Board, Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.

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The development comes days after the National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice President Shettima, approved the nationwide adoption of 112 as Nigeria’s official emergency number for use by all levels of government and emergency response agencies.

During the meeting, Shettima directed the NCC to develop a comprehensive roadmap for implementing the initiative and work closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to strengthen coordination among emergency responders nationwide.

According to the statement, the Vice President also assured the NCC delegation of the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining the project.

“He assured the delegation that the project would be sustained, noting that the required funding would be mobilised through the National Economic Council and the private sector.

“The Vice President also called for high-level engagement and commitment from emergency responders to drive the successful implementation of the 112 initiative,” the statement read.

Earlier, Olorunnimbe revealed that the NCC has already established about 35 Emergency Communications Centres across the country but stressed the need for stronger collaboration from state governments and emergency agencies to ensure the facilities remain operational.

He said governors, the Nigeria Police Force, ambulance services and NEMA must work together to guarantee that Nigerians in distress receive prompt emergency assistance whenever needed.

“Everyone is expected to buy into this initiative and recognise its importance. It is a patriotic duty to our country to ensure that anyone in distress can get the help they need in a very swift manner,” Olorunnimbe said.

The nationwide adoption of 112 is expected to streamline access to emergency services, improve response times and enhance coordination among security, medical and disaster management agencies across Nigeria.

The Federal Government has announced that another batch of stranded Nigerians will return home on Thursday as part of its ongoing evacuation exercise from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks and security concerns in the country.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the fourth evacuation flight, operated by Air Peace, is expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, at 7:30 p.m.

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The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, who said the latest flight forms part of the government’s continued efforts to assist Nigerians willing to return home.

The ministry stated that the aircraft is carrying 284 passengers, comprising 272 adults and 12 infants. It added that two government officials are also on board to coordinate the evacuation exercise.

According to the statement, the total number of Nigerians expected to arrive in Lagos is 282 returnees.

“The expected time of arrival of the fourth evacuation flight from South Africa today, operated by Air Peace at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, is 7:30 p.m.,” the statement read.

The latest flight is the fourth arranged by the Federal Government since it began evacuating Nigerians affected by the recent wave of xenophobic violence and related security challenges in South Africa.

The evacuation programme is aimed at providing safe passage for Nigerians who have expressed a willingness to return home amid growing fears over their safety and well-being.

Government officials are expected to receive the returnees upon arrival before they proceed with the necessary immigration, health, and documentation processes.