Senate Seeks Death Penalty for Power Vandals in New Electricity Act Amendment

By Bashir Muhammad

The Nigerian Senate has advanced a bill to amend the Electricity Act 2023, proposing capital punishment for anyone found guilty of vandalising electricity infrastructure across the country.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), scaled second reading on Thursday without opposition during plenary. It seeks to address new challenges in the power sector, enhance regulatory coordination, improve financing structures, and strengthen the protection of national electricity assets.

Lawmakers, while debating the bill, expressed concern over repeated grid collapses and the poor performance of power generation and distribution companies (GENCOs and DISCOs), which they largely blamed on widespread vandalism of facilities.

Senator Adamu Aliero, among others, called for tougher penalties for offenders to safeguard the nation’s electricity infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted power supply.

“This act of sabotage must stop. Stronger legal provisions, including the death penalty, should be in place to deter vandals,” Aliero said.

The bill also aims to clarify existing transaction arrangements within the sector and promote better industrial relations.

When Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the bill to a voice vote, there were no objections. It was consequently referred to the relevant committee and is expected to return for further consideration in six weeks.