MEET THE STAFF SERIES

Communities Have Role To Play In Stopping Vandalism

CCD: Isma'il Hamza Ishaq as the Security and Administration Officer, Zaria Area Office, tell us what your responsibilities are.

IH: My responsibilities encompass the Security and administrative need for the Area Office. The security aspect has to do with ensuring the safety of lives and assets of the company, which include our Networks, Injection Substations, Vehicles, Transformers, Facilities and many more. It also involves ensuring that work place is safe enough for staff to work. 

CCD: How well would you say you have fared in your role as the Security & Admin Officer?  

IH: Very well. Until recently, we had had increased cases of vandalism, the highest cases happening around June to September last year. Within this period, our transformers, cables, transformer oil were vandalized almost every day. Other equipment destroyed were poles, aluminum wire conductors were cut too.

 In response, we have embarked on community engagement and public enlightenment through community leaders, stakeholders, Police, and vigilante groups in order to increase awareness on the importance of protecting our installations. 

We have been able to make them understand that it is a collective effort of the company and the customers stressing that the customers are usually the ones to bear the brunt. Even in cases where the equipment will be replaced, the communities would have to suffer for an unknown period of time because of the process involved in the procurement of the stolen/damaged item.

CCD: Having done this job for some time, what would you attribute to the increased spate of vandalism?

IH: Poverty is number one while the second is the lackadaisical attitude of the communities involved. When the people do not show interest in the installations within their community anybody can come from anywhere to destroy it.

There was an incident that the vandals came from Funtua, Katsina State and vandalized our property in Zaria; the question is: why didn't they do it in their area? The answer to that question is: because the people in Zaria were relaxed, they have not shown commitment to the protection of the installations.

However, for now, because of the awareness we have created, there has been a significant drop in cases of vandalism, compared to, say around September last year. From October till date, we have only recorded two cases. We commend the communities for this achievement. We are hoping for eradication of this menace. 

CCD: How much have you involved security agencies/stakeholders in the fight against vandalism?

IH: Yes, we have involved stakeholders like Hakimis, Sarkis or Mai Unguwas. We have very good relationship with them and usually have meetings with them when faced with security issues.

We also liaise with Local Government Chairmen and Councilors, to discuss issues bordering on the protection of the company's installation. We always advise people living in the communities to report any suspicious person to the security agency or call the attention of any of our staff. 

One of our colleagues from Babban Dodo Service Centre, with help of the community and some Policemen caught a suspected vandal. 

The suspected was paraded round the community in order to erase the erroneous impression that such dastardly acts are perpetuated by staff of Kaduna Electric. The suspect was charged to court and subsequently sentenced to six years in prison; the person that bought the item was equally sentenced. This incident has sent a strong warning to the general public thereby reducing the incidence of vandalism.

CCD: Aside from vandalism, what else would you say is a major obstacle to carrying out your duties?

IH: One of our major challenges is full funding. There is hardly anything we have to do that money is not involved. If we have a job to do in a faraway location like Saminaka, you need a full fuel tank and security escort, which might not always be available.

Another challenge is response from the community. We expect a quick response from the community should there be any suspicious movements around areas where we have our installations, it is expected that they will contact us quickly so that we can swing into action but this is not the case.