![\"PHCN](\"http:\/\/www.osundefender.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/phcn-meter.jpg\" "\\"PHCN")
TWO loads of trailer with prepaid meters were intercepted by some inquisitive youths in Ile-Ife last Tuesday.<\/p>\nTWO loads of trailer with prepaid meters were intercepted by some inquisitive youths in Ile-Ife last Tuesday.<\/p>\n
According to OSUN DEFENDER investigation, it was gathered that the two trucks loaded with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria\u2019s (PHCN) prepaid metres took off from a branch office of PHCN\u2019s office located at Mayfair area of the ancient town late in the night on Tuesday, but some motorcyclists popularly known as Okada reportedly suspected a foul play informed the security agents about the movement of the two lorries which led to their interception.<\/p>\n
Some of the commercial motorcyclists, who informed the State Security Service (SSS), in a chat with the medium said that the two trailers had earlier parked at a distance not too far from the PHCN\u2019s branch office as early as 4p.m, but the loading of the pre-paid metres into the vehicles did not commence until 9p.m which aroused their suspicion of a possible foul play.<\/p>\n
A senior source at the SSS office confirmed the incident to the medium, while also affirming that the PHCN branch manager where the pre-paid metres were loaded into the trailers had been interrogated by the security operatives.<\/p>\n
![\"electrification](\"http:\/\/www.osundefender.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/electrification-300x169.jpg\" "\\"electrification")
Further findings by the medium also revealed that the prepaid metres were supplied by a company known as ENL Ltd, to the PHCN in Ile-Ife, but the company later decided to transfer the goods to a location in Ikolaba area in Ibadan.<\/p>\n
Investigation also revealed that some electricity consumers in Ile-Ife, who had earlier applied for the pre-paid metres from the PHCN, had been denied the metres, alleging that the prepaid metres that were intercepted but later released by security agents were indeed meant for Ile-Ife customers, but were hoarded by the PHCN officials.<\/p>\n
A staff of the PHCN who spoke with the medium under anonymity informed the medium that the decision to transfer the pre-paid metres to Ibadan was the sole decision of ENL Company, which was saddled with the responsibility of distributing the metres to the PHCN\u2019s offices nationwide.<\/p>\n
By SOLA JACOBS<\/p>\n