Ken Okeke
The headquarters of Ikeja Electric was early Thursday morning invaded by personnel of Nigerian Air Force leading to violent assault of workers.
The invaders also destroyed equipments and took some personnel of the firm hostage.
The Air Force officers who came from the Ikeja Air Force base demanded to see the Chief Executive Officer of the Electricity Distribution Company (DisCo) but while the search for the CEO continued others went on rampage destroying key assets and beating staff members they could see.
Addressing the media shortly after the mayhem, Kingsley Okotie, the head of corporate communications in Kejia Electric, confirmed the military officers were from Sam Ethan Air Force in Ikeja.
Okotie, linked the action to huge indebtedness of the Air Force which he said is about N4 billion.
” It is not because of electricity supply but because of indebtedness, they invaded us, beat us up, carted away our laptops.
They destroyed the entire corporate headquarters of our business, as well as our Oshodi business units and other locations around Oshodi that services the Air Force base.
” It is on record that in the last 10 years, their bill have accumulated to over 4 billion Naira, I repeat 4 billion Naira, and their arrangements for payments in terms of even servicing their electricity bill have been aborted” Okotie said.
He said instead of coming to the table as the DisCo always do with them, they resorted to violence.
Okotie, recalled that sometimes in October last year, AOC Ademulegun intervened on behalf of the base commander and there was some level of agreements, which the company implemented
He said what their action practically did was to deny the Disco’s technicians access to the facilities so that they can manipulate that installation within the base so that the regulated hours that they will get supply based on what they can pay for is exceeded
The spokesman described that as an infraction and unlawful, that is criminal, adding, “What they now came to do this to us after writing us, barely yesterday, giving us a 48 hours notice to reconnect.”
He noted that previously when the Nigerian army Cantonment in Ikeja, had issues of bills and supply, bot parties came into understanding and it was resolved amocably.
Narrating the incident further, he said, when they came they went away with 15 of our operational vehicles, abducted some staff amd took them at gunpoints with the drivers, but a few minutes ago, they returned them back, , so that is what we are facing right now, and we want justice, this is unfair on us as individuals, this unfair on us as Nigerians, and even as an organization, that is into the business of utilities, providing service”
Meanwhile, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE),has threatened to embark on nationwide strike if concerned authorities cannot guarantee the safety and protection of its members in the country’s power sector.
Dominic Igwebike,the union’s Acting General Secretary,issued the threat against the backdrop of military officers attack on the staff of the Ikeja Electric over the disconnection of the latter for non-payment of bills.
He advised the union’s member in the power firm to stay out of the office till further notice because since they cannot work under brutality, intimidation and threat to life.
Condemning the act, Igwebike demanded the release of his abducted members as well undertaking from the management of the power firm, Federal Ministry of Power and the Defense Ministry to protect the Union’s members from any further traumatizing experience of this nature by calling the Military to order.
He demanded that all staff properties that were taken or destroyed should be replaced and those beaten should be taken to hospital for adequate medical treatment.
The statement reads:”The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) is shocked with the level of gangsterism and unprofessional behavior exhibited this morning by the Nigeria Military when they took over the Corporate Headquarters of Ikeja Electric and its Oshodi Business Unit.
