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<p>A formal petition has been submitted to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) by residents of Tumfure community in Gombe State, accusing the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) of gross negligence and violation of regulatory obligations following a month-long blackout caused by a damaged transformer.</p><div class="mDtLpb6f" style="clear:both;float:left;width:100%;margin:0 0 20px 0;"><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>

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<p>In the petition addressed to the Chairman of NERC, Abdulkadir Aliyu Shehu, representing over 100 affected households, stated that the Almajiri transformer serving the Tumfure community has been out of service for nearly a month. Despite repeated appeals and visits to JEDC offices in Gombe and Jos, residents claim no meaningful action has been taken to inspect or repair the transformer.</p>
<p>“This is not just a technical failure; it is an institutional failure that borders on negligence and abuse of regulatory frameworks,” Shehu wrote, emphasizing the severe impact on homes, businesses, schools, and essential services in the area.</p>
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<p>The petition highlights that Tumfure residents were placed under Band A classification, which, according to NERC’s service-based tariff (SBT) structure, guarantees a minimum of 20 hours of electricity daily. However, the community has received zero hours of supply for close to a month, raising concerns about false billing and service fraud.</p>
<p>“Despite community-level communications and requests for assistance, JEDC has not even shown a clear intent to inspect or repair the faulty transformer,” the petition reads. It further notes that all attempts to engage JEDC have resulted in “empty promises.”</p>
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<p>Citing the NERC Investment in Electricity Networks Regulation (2015) and the Order on Customer Responsibilities, the petition asserts that DisCos are legally obligated to repair or replace damaged infrastructure. “The practice of shifting the cost of network repairs and upgrades to consumers whether through coercion or abandonment is illegal and has been explicitly prohibited by NERC,” Shehu stated.</p>
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<p>The petition also references Regulation 1, Section 11 of NERC’s Connection and Disconnection Procedures for Electricity Services (2017), which mandates that distribution licensees maintain and repair equipment up to the customer’s point of connection. “JEDC has violated this provision,” the residents allege.</p>
<p>Additionally, the petition invokes Section 63 of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA) 2005, which requires licensees to operate efficiently and ensure safe, reliable electricity delivery. “JEDC has fallen far short of this,” Shehu wrote, calling for regulatory scrutiny.</p>
<p>The residents argue that the delay in restoring power violates NERC’s Customer Service Standards of Performance, which provide specific timelines for fault resolution. “A delay of over 30 days without electricity for a critical fault like this is a blatant breach,” the petition states.</p>
<p>According to the petition, over 98% of affected residents use prepaid meters, meaning they have paid in advance for services they are not receiving. “This makes the continued outage not only unlawful but deeply exploitative,” Shehu emphasized.</p>
<p>The blackout has led to significant economic and social distress. “Many residents have lost perishable goods, and small businesses that rely on power for refrigeration, charging, tailoring, welding, and printing are on the brink of collapse,” the petition notes. Students preparing for exams have been forced to study in darkness, compounding the emotional toll.</p>
<p>The community has refused to contribute funds for the transformer repair, citing NERC regulations that prohibit such consumer-financed infrastructure. “Let it be on record that we refuse to be blackmailed into funding infrastructure we are not legally required to finance,” Shehu declared.</p>
<p>The petition warns that continued inaction may prompt legal action and appeals to consumer protection agencies and National Assembly oversight committees. “We are also placing NERC on notice that continued inaction will leave us with no option but to seek redress through public legal action,” the residents stated.</p>
<p>The petition was copied to key stakeholders, including the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Power, Senator Muhammadu Danjuma Goje, the Chief Whip of the House, the Minister of Power, and the Consumer Protection Agency.</p>
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<p>In conclusion, the residents call on NERC to urgently direct JEDC to repair or replace the Almajiri transformer and restore power in line with Band A obligations. They also request a broader investigation into JEDC’s service delivery across Gombe State and appropriate sanctions for proven violations.</p>
<p>“We trust in your Commission’s role as the protector of electricity consumers and believe that this formal petition will be met with swift and decisive enforcement action,” Shehu concluded on behalf of the Tumfure community.</p>
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