Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company has not restored power supply to the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja, Head, Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric Plc, (IE) Mr. Kingsley Okorie, has said.
In an interview with New Telegraph on Friday, he said the IE workers, who were brutalized by some Air Force personnel were still attending to their health.
Recall that some Air Force personnel invaded the corporate headquarters of the DisCo, its offices at Oshodi and Isolo; beat up its staff and destroyed its equipment, office doors, furniture and sensitive gadgets as well as softwares.
Okotie insisted that power had not been restored to Air Force Base.
He said: “It is not true that we are about to restore light to that barracks. Those agreements yesterday were conditional now. They visited to also see the damage that was done.
“Where we are is that, as I speak to you now, we have not reconnected. Because the staff that will even reconnect the light have been beaten now. The angels do not reconnect. So, there’s no way you have people that are alive that will reconnect.So, that’s still where we are. They never paid any money as of this morning. I’m not aware.So, that’s where we are, my brother. So, the staff are still taking care of themselves. They are still in the hospital.”
He explained that top Air Force officials visited the corporate headquarters of IE yesterday.
Okotie said: “That wasn’t an agreement. It’s just that the people who came were superior to those who did whatever that was done. So, they only came to assure us that they would bring justice and bring them to book. The officers appealed to us to take it calm and easy. They also ssympathized with those who were injured.
“But our officers are still the way they are. Broken. As I’m talking to you now. I don’t have a laptop to work with. So many things were cutted away.
“My phone is lost. I’m limping. I can’t even walk.So, I am not in the office. I’m at home. So, that’s the situation now.We have tactically paralyzed the business. You know, based on their actions.
“We have not restored light. Forget all those stories they are spilling.”
Recall that some personnel from
Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja on Thursday invaded the corporate headquarters of the DisCo, its offices at Oshodi and Isolo; beat up its staff and destroyed its equipment, office doors, furniture and sensitive gadgets as well as softwares.
Okotie said the military personnel invaded the company because their power supply was disconnected over an alleged N4 billion indebtedness.
After the invasion, some top Air Force officers visited the corporate headquarters of IE.
The Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Adeniran Kolade Ademuwagun, reportedly condemned the attack and assured that those responsible would face disciplinary measures.
He described the invasion as “unfortunate,” and assured that the Nigerian Air Force remained committed to upholding discipline among its personnel and ensuring that officers operate under strict professional conduct.
He said: “We will investigate what happened and impose appropriate sanctions. The Nigerian Air Force takes the safety of citizens very seriously, and Ikeja Electric should continue providing services without fear.
“The dialogue with Ikeja Electric has been fruitful, and we will continue to work on ensuring our men remain under positive control. The Nigerian Air Force is a disciplined force, and any action that undermines our integrity will not be tolerated.
“It is our duty to ensure the safety and security of Nigerians, and we do not take that responsibility lightly.” he said.
The Chairman of Ikeja Electric, Kola Adesina, said that at that at least 10 staff members were brutalised while company assets were vandalised or taken away.
He said:“About 200 staff were on-site when the incident occurred. Reports confirmed that 10 individuals were brutalized, and several office assets were destroyed or removed.
“It was a terrible experience for our staff, and it disrupted our operations significantly. We are grateful that the leadership of the Air Force has responded swiftly, and we believe that justice will be served.”
He said that the invasion was linked to a long-standing debt dispute between the Nigerian Air Force and Ikeja Electric.
According to him an agreement had been reached regarding the N4 billion owed to the electricity distribution company.
He said: “As an organization, we have been owed a significant sum—over N4 billion—which we have struggled to recover. We have been in discussions about this for some time, and while some payments have been made, the process has been slowuu.
“We recognize the importance of the Air Force and its role in national security. However, electricity services must be paid for, as we also have obligations to meet.”
The Nigerian Air Force, 651 Base Service Group had stated its side over the indebtedness in a letter Reference No: 651BSG/527/HQ and signed by Commander, Air Commodore, US Umar.
The letter was addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company Ikeja. It was received by IE on March 05, 2025.
The letter titled: Incitement of Armed Troops And Abuse Of Office,”
It read inter alia: “The Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja, wishes to draw your attention to the continued lack of electric power supply to the Base (12 days as at this morning). It should be noted that 651 Base Services Group has had several meetings with your organization regarding the agreed-upon modalities for power supply to the Base. As a result of the meetings, the sum of sixty million naira (N60,000,000.00) only was agreed upon as the monthly commitment of the Nigerian Air Force to your organization. This was to guarantee a 10 to 12-hour daily electricity supply to the Base. The NAF has been consistent with this agreed payment. Unfortunately the provision of power supply has been epileptic.
“The Base runs essential services such as medical services and water supply to the Base community; these services have been significantly disrupted. Most critical is the operational warehouse that houses high caliber armaments (bombs and rockets),which are severely threatened by the high temperatures due to lack of power for the cooling systems. The effects of the high temperature on bombs and rockets could be dangerous and devastating.
“The Ikeja(TA Lagbaja)Cantonment Bomb blast of year 2002 is still fresh in our minds, a repeat of such disaster will not be palatable to lkeja environs and Lagos State.
“In November 2024, the base was availed light to the tune of forty eight million four hundred and six thousand three hundred and seven naira (N43,406,307) only. However, the NAF paid up to sixty million naira (N60,000,000.00) in excess for the bill in month of November.
“However, there were no returns or any accountng for the balance of the payment. Furthermore, similar short changing happened in the month of December. Find enclosed the lkeja electric bill for the months of November and December 2024.
As such, the NAF Base has sufficiently kept to its side of the agreement in making payment but it currently being shortchanged with regards to power supply without any justifiable reason.
“From our investigation there is no demage or destruction of the distribution channel leading to the Air Force Base and blatant act of with holdling power is considered unprofessional and unpatriotic with dire consequences on national security.
“It should be noted that 10-12 hours of light daily is not a luxury for serving military personnel and their families; it is an essential service. Personnel and families’ welfare and social life have also been significantly affected.
Consequently, frontline personnel are traumatized due to complaints of the untold hardship suffered by their families back in Sam Ethnan Air Force Base lkeja due to the deliberate denial of power supply to the Base by your organisation. The actions of Ikeja Electric is tantamount to incitement,which could have serious consequences and dire repercussions for the peace of the state.
“Ikeja Electric is a service-oriented organization with an expected high level of responsibility to the public. Unfortunately, the conduct of your organization falls short of what is expected of a service provider with national interest.Evidently, your organization has made all avenues for deliberation and dialogue impossible, as in enclosures 1-3 attached to this letter. Your action is a gross abuse of the responsibilities and principles of your office.
“Hence,there is a need for this letter to document and draw your attention to the implications of your actions.
“Your organisation holds a privileged position however, this priviledge is being abused. The troops under command are on edge, as the Commander, I am doing my best to control them. The Troops are not ignorant, they are aware that the power outage on the Base is deliberate and they see it as an act of sabotage. Electric power supply to the Base is a right for military personnel in the service of their nation. Moreso, that money was remitted for the service.
“Evolving from the foregoing, you are kindly advised to restore power within 48 hours. Please accept the esteem of my high regards.”
Echezona Okafor.
