2 days Ago
By Victor Ahiuma-Young, EvelynUsman, Ediri Ejoh & Efe OnodjaeNo fewer than 12 personnel of the Nigerian Air Force from the Logistics Command, Ikeja, Lagos, invaded the Corporate Headquarters and Oshodi Business Unit Offices of Ikeja Electric Company, Ikeja DisCo, Lagos in a commando-like manner, unleashing mayhem on the employees, battering and arresting about 15 of them, including Oshodi Business Unit’s Commercial Manager.The invading personnel reportedly attacked anyone in sight to protest the disconnection of power supply to the base two weeks ago, which threw the facility into total darkness over a N4 billion debt, among other issues.They also allegedly destroyed staff personal effects such as phones, laptops, and vehicles, as well as office equipment and gadgets, including company properties.
Meanwhile, the Air Officer Commanding, AOC, Logistics Command, AVM Adeniran Ademuwagun, has described the invasion as unfortynate, saying investigation would be carried out.The base had earlier raised the alarm over the implications of such a blackout on patients at its reference hospital, who were referred to other facilities due to the lack of power, which disrupted planned surgeries. Aside from the impact on the health of patients, the Air Force said highly flammable jet fuel stored at the base was exposed to soaring temperatures, further heightening the risk.
It was gathered that the NAF personnel invaded the headquarters of Ikeja Electric twice, yesterday.In the first visit, the NAF personnel allegedly destroyed equipment, including laptops, and shattered glass from the third floor to the fifth floor. Not done, they bundled some of the staff into their vehicle, ordered them to sit down, and bend their heads between their knees.
Sources said that when news of the invasion by the ‘military’ men reached the 9 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, as no one could tell which branch of the military was responsible for the invasion, a senior army officer from the 9 Brigade visited the scene and directed the Air Force personnel to leave. However, after the senior officer’s departure, the Air Force personnel reportedly returned and continued their actions.Journalists and civilians on ground who were filming or taking pictures of the invasion had their phones seized and smashed, with one of them attacked.
According to sources, the Lagos State government had earlier intervened by urging the electricity company to provide services to the Air Force base. After complying with the state government’s appeal, the company was said to have cut power supply to the base when no effort was made to clear the debt.Confirming the invasion, the management of Ikeja DisCo, through its Head of Corporate Communications, Kingsley Okotie, said: “In my young adult life, I witnessed something I have never seen before, men of the Armed Forces from the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja, Lagos State, who are our customers, invaded our office, beat us up, carted away our laptops, and destroyed the entire corporate headquarters of our business, as well as our Oshodi business unit, because of electricity supply and issues of indebtedness.
“This is wrong. Other locations around Oshodi, where we provide services to the Air Force base, have records showing that in the last 10 years, their bill has accumulated over N4 billion. Despite several appeals, they have not made efforts to pay, and they seem to believe it’s their entitlement to use electricity for free.
“Over time, we have reminded them that we don’t receive government subvention in this organization, it is a privatized entity. As such, the inefficiencies that may appear on our part are due to people like the Air Force base and the debt they owe our business.“They came to do this after giving us barely 48 hours’ notice to reconnect.
The last time I checked, we live in a democracy. Some of you may be aware that we were recently told in the media that bombs and explosives are at that location. We were threatened that what happened in 2002 could happen again if Ikeja Electric does not restore supply to the cantonment.
“For us, that is blackmail. As I speak with you now, I have a fractured leg. They molested and assaulted our staff, not to mention some members of the newsmen who were with us that morning.
They also drove away about 16 of our vehicles, with our drivers at the wheel.“We call on the Chief of Armed Forces and the President to intervene and address this crisis before it escalates further. We want justice as this is unfair to us as individuals, as Nigerians, and even more so as an organization in the business of providing utilities.
We are no longer safe.”Speaking further, he said: “As it stands, we pray this does not affect the environment. However, the cantonment is on a feeder that is currently shut down.
“But they are not the only ones on that feeder. That is all we could do because they won’t allow our technicians to access their facility to disconnect them. So, the best we can do is to shut down the feeder for now.
”We’ll investigate incident —NAFOn his part, the AOC, Logistics Command, who visited the scene after the dust had settled, described the incident as unfortunate.He said: “We tried to ensure that our men are always under positive control at all times. On our part, we will investigate what has happened, and the personnel involved will be tracked and sanctioned appropriately.
“We also assure members of staff that they will not be affected by any harm, and we want them to know that the Nigerian Air Force is here to protect them. It is our responsibility everywhere and anywhere to ensure their safety, and we do not take that responsibility lightly.“We assure them that they can continue, as always, to provide the required services without fear of any form of destruction.
”Workers threaten unrestReacting, the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, expressed shock over the invasion and the level of gangsterism and unprofessional behaviour exhibited by NAF personnel.NUEE condemned the actions of the military personnel, who took over the Corporate Headquarters of Ikeja Electric, IE, and its Oshodi Business Unit.In a statement by its acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, NUEE said: “On resumption of duty this morning, some military personnel from NAF Ikeja Base invaded the Corporate Headquarters and Oshodi Business Unit offices of the company, beating up and molesting every staff member they encountered.
“They destroyed personal effects such as phones, laptops, vehicles, doors, office equipment, and gadgets.“The invasion took place simultaneously at the company’s Corporate Headquarters and Oshodi Business Unit offices. They took away the Oshodi Business Unit’s Commercial Manager and 13 drivers in their pickup work vehicles, torturing them and treating them like criminals.
They unleashed terror on our members.“The military carried out this brutal and barbaric action against our innocent members because they were disconnected by the company due to non-payment of their huge outstanding debt.“We unequivocally denounce this dastardly act from the military and demand the immediate release of our affected members, an undertaking from the IE Management, the Federal Ministry of Power, and the Ministry of Defence to protect our members from any further traumatizing experience of this nature, by calling the military to order.
“Moreover, we demand that all staff properties that were taken or destroyed be replaced and that those beaten be given adequate medical treatment.“Consequently, our members are advised to stay away from the office until further notice because we cannot work under brutality, intimidation, and threat to life. Until the safety of lives and property is assured, we will have no choice but to withdraw our services nationwide until we are guaranteed safety and protection at the workplace.
”At press time, sources said that though the 15 workers had been released, they were in serious pain as their wounds had not been treated. Their phones, laptops, and other personal effects that were not destroyed had not been returned to them. However, the company vehicles were released.
Reacting to the development and its impact on the industry, Adetayo Adegbemle, Executive Director of PowerUp Nigeria, said: “I believe what the Air Force personnel did is barbaric and should never be encouraged. There should be consequences for the personnel involved, as our military is supposed to be a professional one. Ikeja Electric should also institute legal action against Sam Ethnan Barracks.
“There are civil and professional ways to deal with issues, and we should always seek conflict resolution alternatives.”Similarly, the spokesperson for the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, ANED, Sunday Oduntan, said: “The various branches of the military, including the Army, Air Force, Police, Navy, and others, owe billions of Naira. Almost all of them are classified under Band A and enjoy many hours of power supply but refuse to pay despite several appeals.
“We even offered to provide prepared meters to the Air Force barracks, but they refused to accept them. Now, they have invaded our premises and manhandled our staff, customers, and journalists. This is truly sad.
These people must be held accountable and face justice.”Recall that on March 3, NAF raised alarm about a prolonged blackout at its Ikeja base, which had been without stable electricity for 12 days despite consistent payments to Ikeja Electric.NAF had warned that the prolonged blackout was exposing sensitive military equipment, including bombs and rockets, to dangerously high temperatures, raising fears of a potential explosion.
“These bombs are not meant to be exposed to extreme heat. The longer this blackout continues, the higher the risk of an explosion,” NAF stated, referencing the 2002 Ikeja Cantonment bomb blast.The post Black out: Angry Air Force personnel storm Ikeja DisCo, batter staff appeared first on Vanguard News.
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