The Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan, has condemned what he described as a shocking display of military aggression at the headquarters of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) in Lagos.
Armed military personnel had stormed the headquarters of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company in Lagos on Thursday morning, attacking staff and other individuals present.
A video seen by SaharaReporters captured the moment the armed men, dressed in military uniforms, invaded the company’s premises opposite MITV in Ikeja, Lagos.
Witnesses reported that employees and others in the office were being beaten by the military personnel.
However, speaking on Arise Television on Friday, Sunday Oduntan, said the incident occurred around 7:35am when multiple trucks carrying more than 100 fully armed Air Force personnel stormed the area from the Sam Ethanan Air Force Base in Ikeja.
“The operation was reportedly led by the Air Officer Commanding, an Air Vice Marshal,” he said.
Oduntan, who said he was in Lagos for a meeting, recounted the experience with deep concern. “We are very, very traumatised,” he said.
“I had a meeting in Ikeja yesterday, so I went there early because the management was preparing to attend the commissioning of a solar power plant in Ugutet. Suddenly, we saw military trucks arriving with heavily armed personnel.
“They stormed the premises, brutalising everyone in sight, including pregnant women. They forced workers to lie on the ground and assaulted them.”
He asserted that among the injured was the Chief Technical Officer of Ikeja Electric, who remains hospitalised.
Ironically, he is the same official responsible for managing the Air Force Base’s power supply, adding that they also brutalised pregnant women, over a longstanding electricity debt dispute.
He explained that the conflict between IKEDC and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) stems from unpaid electricity bills dating back to November 1, 2013.
Records indicate that the Air Force Base at Ikegaya accrued a ₦7.56billion electricity bill between 2013 and 2022 but paid only ₦4.3billion, leaving a ₦3.2billion deficit.
“In 2023, the base was billed ₦1.4 billion and paid ₦1.2 billion, while in 2024, its bill increased to ₦1.5 billion, but only ₦623 million was paid. This brought the total outstanding debt to ₦4.34 billion as of March 2025.
“Despite repeated attempts to secure payment, IKEDC officials claim the Air Force consistently refused to clear its arrears, even though funds were allocated for the purpose.
“IKEDC attempted to resolve the dispute amicably by introducing an auto-recloser, a device that regulates power supply based on payment patterns. However, Air Vice Marshal A.K. Ademulegun rejected the proposal, insisting on 24-hour electricity despite non-payment.
“When IKEDC proposed the installation of prepaid meters, which would allow the base to use electricity based on actual payments, the Air Force allegedly ignored official requests and denied IKEDC access to install the meters in December 2024.”
IKEDC further accused the Air Force of vandalising its infrastructure, stating that military personnel tampered with an auto-recloser device twice, disconnecting communication cables in an act of sabotage.
IKEDC has since written multiple letters to the Chief of Air Staff and AOC Logistics, demanding accountability and immediate payment of outstanding debts.
Oduntan condemned the display of force, calling it a disturbing example of unchecked military impunity. “To fully understand how we have reached this level of lawlessness, it is important to look at the events leading up to this situation. This must stop,” he stated.
Source: SaharaReporters
