• NAF begs, vows disciplinary action
By Adewale Sanyaolu, Philip Nwosu and Chukwuma Umeorah
Electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), yesterday announced an indefinite suspension of its operations over the invasion of Ikeja Electric Corporate headquarters and its Oshodi Business Unit both located in Lagos.
The union condemned the attack, accusing the military personnel from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Ikeja Base, of assaulting staff members and destroying property after the power company disconnected their barracks over unpaid bills.
In a statement by the acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, the NUEE described the action as brutal and barbaric, noting that the soldiers allegedly beat up and molested every staff sighted, destroying their personal effects such as phones, laptops and vehicles, as well as office equipment and gadgets.”
According to Igwebike, at least 15 workers, including the Oshodi Business Unit’s commercial manager, were forcefully taken to the NAF base, where they were allegedly tortured and treated like criminals.
While demanding the immediate release of the detained members, the union directed all its members to withdraw from duty until the safety of workers is guaranteed.
“Our members are advised to stay out of the office till further notice because we cannot work under brutality, intimidation and threat to life until safety of life and property is assured,” the statement read.
The union also called on the management of Ikeja Electric, the Federal Ministry of Power and the Defence Ministry to intervene and protect workers from further attacks.
It further demanded the replacement of destroyed property and provision of adequate medical care for those injured during the invasion.
Igwebike warned that failure to meet these demands could prompt a nationwide shutdown of electricity services, adding that the union would have “no choice than to withdraw our services nationwide until we are guaranteed safety and protection at the workplace.”
Junior ranks from the Sam Ethnan Airforce Base in Ikeja, Lagos, had yesterday stormed the Ikeja Electric office in Alausa, Lagos, beating workers and destroying power and IT equipment.
Confirming the development to the Daily Sun at the Ikeja Electric office, Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Kingsley Okotie, said the invasion of their office was a fallout of the refusal of the military base to settle over N4 billion electricity debt, which eventually led to the disconnection of electricity at the military base.
Okotie added that the management of Ikeja Electric and the military authorities were already in discussion on the modalities to offset the bill.
He explained further that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been signed by the military hierarchy on how the bill would be sorted out.
Prior to yesterday, we had a series of discussions with the Sam Ethnan Aiforce Base on electricity supply, payment of their debts and how we could restore electricity supply based on what they could afford as a result of their budgetary constraint.
However, he said, when those solutions alongside huge investment on the part of Ikeja Electric was put in place, it was discovered that Ikeja Electric was denied access to the facilities, while the installations put in place were removed.
He narrated further that after this setback, another round of meetings commenced on how to resolve the impasse with the intervention of the Air Vice Marshall overseeing the operations of the Barracks.
“When another set of agreements was reached, we implemented our own part as Ikeja Electric, but again, the equipment and other installations were again removed and disconnected. Each time we tried to access the facility, the Barracks authorities prevented us from doing so.
“So, with the reoccurring tampering with our facility, we were forced to disconnect them from the power supply. What usually happens in situations like this, is that they are expected to come to us for further discussions. But instead, they resorted to threats and blackmail, giving us an ultimatum to reconnect them or face the consequences. The consequence is what we are now contending with.”
By yesterday morning, Okotie said what they saw was a truckload of the military that descended on its facility, beating workers, seizing phones and destroying all facilities on site, including computers and other critical assets core to its day-to-day operations.
Checks by the Daily Sun across some departments in Ikeja Electric revealed massive destruction of equipment at the IT room, server room, the CEO’s office and HR dept among other critical offices.
About 15 workers who sustained various degrees of injury were rushed to hospital where they are receiving treatment.
Meanwhile, at a joint press briefing at IKEDC’s office, yesterday, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal (AVM), Adeniran Kolade Ademuwagun, tendered an apology, condemned the attack and assured that those responsible would face disciplinary measures.
Describing the invasion as unfortunate, AVM Ademuwagun emphasised that the Force remains committed to upholding discipline among its personnel and ensuring that officers operate under strict professional conduct.
“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 of disturbance.”
He stressed that the force values its relationship with civilian institutions and will take decisive steps to prevent a recurrence of such an incident.
“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,” he added.
AVM Ademuwagun also reaffirmed the military’s responsibility to protect citizens rather than intimidate them. “It is our duty to ensure the safety and security of Nigerians, and we do not take that responsibility lightly,” he said.
Speaking at the press briefing, the Chairman of Ikeja Electric, Kola Adesina, detailed the impact of the invasion, revealing that at least 10 staff members were brutalized while company assets were vandalized or taken away.
“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,” Adesina lamented.
He described the attack as “unwarranted and distressing,” highlighting the psychological and physical toll on affected employees.
“It was a terrible experience for our staff, and it disrupted our operations significantly,” he said. “We are grateful that the leadership of the Air Force has responded swiftly, and we believe that justice will be served.”
Adesina also disclosed that the invasion was linked to a long-standing debt dispute between the Nigerian Air Force and Ikeja Electric. He stated that an agreement had been reached regarding the N4 billion owed to the electricity distribution company.
“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 slow,” he explained.
He noted that despite the financial challenges posed by the outstanding debt, Ikeja Electric had continued to provide services to the Air Force and other essential institutions.
“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,” Adesina added.
During the engagement, Ikeja Electric officials visited the Air Force base, where they were briefed on the critical electricity supply challenges facing the facility.
Adesina acknowledged the importance of ensuring stable power supply to military installations, stating that discussions were ongoing to find a sustainable solution.
“We were not only briefed on the unfortunate situation but also shown the critical state of their infrastructure. It was made clear why it is important for them to have stable electricity supply,” he said.
However, he reiterated that while Ikeja Electric is willing to collaborate with the military on power solutions, outstanding debts must be addressed to ensure continued service delivery.
The incident has sparked concerns about the relationship between the military and civilian institutions, with calls for stricter discipline within the armed forces.
Security analysts have warned that such altercations could erode public trust in the military and create unnecessary tensions between government agencies and private organizations.
“It is important for military authorities to ensure their personnel adhere to professional standards in all engagements with civilians,” said a security expert who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the electricity sector have urged the government to intervene in settling outstanding debts owed by military institutions to prevent future conflicts.
Ikeja Electric has assured its customers that despite the unfortunate incident, its operations remain uninterrupted, and efforts are being made to enhance service delivery across its coverage areas.