12 PERSONNEL OF THE NIGERIAN AIR FORCE INVADE AND UNLEASH MAYHEM ON THE EMPLOYEES OF IKEJA DISCO BATTERING AND ARRESTING THEM 08-03-25
By Sadiq Aminu About 12 personnel of the Nigerian Air Force from the Logistics Command, Ikeja, Lagos, have invaded the Corporate Headquarters and Oshodi Business Unit Offices of Ikeja Electric Company, Ikeja DisCo, Lagos unleashed mayhem on the employees, battering and arresting about 15 of them, including the Oshodi Business Unit’s Commercial Manager.
The personnel attacked anyone they saw in sight protesting the disconnection of power supply to the base for two weeks which threw the facility into total darkness over a N4 billion debt, among other issues.
The Head of Corporate Communications, of Ikeja Electric Company, DisCo Mr. Kingsley Okotie, said the personnel of the Nigerian Air Force destroyed staff personal effects such as phones, laptops, and vehicles, as well as office equipment and carted away with some due to the disconnection of electricity supply as a result of indebtedness.
Okotie noted that other locations around Oshodi, where they provide services to the Air Force base, have records showing that in the last 10 years, their bill has accumulated to over N4 billion. Despite several appeals, they have not made efforts to pay.
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.
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 the power supply to the base when no effort was made to clear the debt.
The Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Adeniran Ademuwagun, who visited the scene after the dust had settled, described the incident as unfortunate noting that investigation would be carried out and the personnel involved would be tracked and sanctioned appropriately.
The AOC also assure members of staff that they will not be affected by any harm again.
It will be recalled that on March 3, NAF raised alarms 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.