By Chukwuma Umeorah
A Lagos State University (LASU) lecturer, Dr. Tunde Akanni, has raised the alarm over alleged extortion by the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), calling for immediate intervention from regulatory authorities.
Akanni, Associate Professor, Communication and Media Studies, who resides at the Lagos State Government (LASG) Quarters on Sobo Arobiodu Street, Ikeja GRA, accused IKEDC of deactivating UNISTAR pre-paid meters in his residence despite directives from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
In a petition addressed to the FCCPC and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), Akanni alleged that IKEDC’s actions left residents unable to reload their meters after exhausting existing credits. “Once this happens and you report back with your complaints, they would tell you that your meter is bad and due for replacement then convince you to allow the retrieval of the UNISTAR meter.
He added that out of desperation and need for electricity, customers were compelled to request for reconnection, “they would deceitfully reconnect you but that would make customers pay through their nose,” Akanni alleged.
“After recharging my meter with N25,000 on December 27, 2024, I was unable to reload due to their treacherous deactivation. Despite my awareness of FCCPC’s directive, IKEDC insisted that I apply for a new meter at the cost of N120,000,” Akanni stated.
He further alleged that IKEDC’s customer care representatives had claimed that the company’s portal for meter applications was down, implying that arbitrary billing would persist. “In the past, customers like me whose monthly consumption hardly exceeded N50,000 following the banding regime had been summarily billed as much as N270,000.”
Akanni emphasised the plight of fellow residents, describing their experiences as financially crippling.
“If LASG employees in government quarters are subjected to this embarrassing situation, one can only imagine the ordeal of private citizens,” he noted.