Paragraph 1: The Invasion and Assault
On Thursday morning, a contingent of Nigerian Air Force officers from the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base in Ikeja, Lagos, stormed the headquarters of Ikeja Electric (IE) in Alausa. Arriving in military trucks and OP-MESA vehicles, the soldiers caught journalists and IE employees off guard. They were forcibly dragged out of a company bus, subjected to physical assault, and made to sit on the ground. Personnel had their belongings confiscated, including phones, power banks, tripods, and memory cards. A journalist sustained an eye injury, and threats of violence were issued. This violent occupation of the IE office lasted over 90 minutes.
Paragraph 2: Employee Testimonies of Brutality
IE employees recounted the harrowing experience, describing the invasion as a "broad daylight robbery and terror attack." Funmilayo Adeniyi, a female security staff member, detailed being physically assaulted, thrown into a military van, and later forced to lie on the ground while being doused with water and beaten with plastic rods. She also reported having money stolen from her pockets. Olajide Kolawole, another security staff member, shared a similar ordeal, recounting how he and his colleague were beaten severely and taken to a fuel dump within the premises for further assault. He highlighted that some attackers appeared to be non-military personnel, possibly hired thugs.
Paragraph 3: More Accounts of Theft and Violence
The accounts of brutality continued to emerge from other IE employees. Gabriel Fatoye, a facility department worker, had his phone stolen from the office after the soldiers broke in and ransacked the premises. Michael Sani described being chased by a soldier, dragged back to the office, and threatened with a gun while being hit with a rod. He and other colleagues were forced to switch off the building’s electricity, purportedly because the Air Force base lacked power while the IE office had it. Samuel Ajanaku, a driver, recounted being slapped and witnessing his colleague’s clothes being torn before being forcibly taken to the Oshodi Air Force base, where they endured further punishment under the scorching sun.
Paragraph 4: Official Condemnation and Calls for Dialogue
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, strongly condemned the attack, emphasizing the power sector’s critical role in national development and the need for peaceful conflict resolution. He stressed that no grievance justified the destruction of public infrastructure and called for restraint and dialogue. The minister urged the Air Force to uphold professionalism and respect for civilian welfare and public infrastructure. He commended IE’s staff and management for their resilience and pledged support for restoring normalcy. He called for collaboration and unity within the power sector to overcome challenges.
Paragraph 5: The Disputed Debt and Power Supply
The root cause of the attack stemmed from a disagreement over a N4 billion debt owed by the Air Force base to Ikeja Electric. The Air Force base accused IE of deliberately withholding power supply despite meeting the agreed monthly payment of N60 million for 10-12 hours of daily electricity. They complained about the disruption of essential services and the impact of high temperatures on their armaments due to the lack of power for cooling systems. The Air Force base outlined inconsistencies in billing and power supply, accusing IE of unprofessional conduct and jeopardizing national security. They demanded full power restoration within 48 hours.
Paragraph 6: Ikeja Electric’s Response and Explanation
In response, Ikeja Electric acknowledged the substantial debt and outlined efforts to engage with the Air Force base on the matter. IE explained their attempts to manage the energy supply in proportion to the payments received, citing a N4.3 billion accumulated debt over 12 years, including N893 million in 2024 alone. They mentioned installing an autorecloser to regulate supply based on payments, a device vandalized twice. IE also highlighted agreed plans to install a prepaid meter, but access was denied by the Air Force base. The refusal for meter installation, coupled with equipment damage and the substantial outstanding debt, ultimately led to IE’s decision to disconnect power supply to the Air Force base.
