…AS BLACKOUT PERSIST AT NAF BASE
By Okosun Dennis
After the rage at the Headquarters, Ikeja Electric Plc by the Airforce personnel from Sam Ethnan Airforce Base (SEAFB), Ikeja, following the outage orchestrated by the company over unpaid bill of over N4 billion, the barracks has been disconnected from electricity supply.
It was learnt that personnel of the barracks had stormed the office and brutalized staffs, vandalized equipment, and catered away valuable properties of the company.
As a result, the Chairman of Ikeja Electric, Dr. Kola Adesina, at a press briefing on Thursday, condemned the violence and damage done to the company’s facilities by men of the Nigerian Airforce.
“We have about 200 staff on ground, and there were skirmishes of people being beaten. Ten of our staff were brutalized, and our offices were vandalized, with a number of assets destroyed and items taken away during this unfortunate incident,” he stated.
In his response, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Logistics Command, Sam Ethnan Base, Nigerian Airforce, Ikeja, Air Vice Marshal Adeniran Kolade Ademuwagun regretted the scenario that played out at Ikeja Electric office.
“What happened this morning was quite unfortunate and certainly it would not happen again. Electricity in business environment is not a luxury, it is an essential commodity. In the last couple of days, we have been in darkness but our dialogue today has been very fruitful, we would try to make sure that our men are always under control at all times.
“On our part, we would investigate what has happened and sanction appropriately. We would also assure members of staff of Ikeja Electric that this Armed Forces is theirs and the Nigerian Airforce is theirs. Therefore, it is our responsibility to assure you of your safety and that responsibility we will not deny them.
“We assure them that they can continue as always to provide the required services without fear or any form of disturbance. We want to assure that nothing would happen under our watch so that Nigeria Airforce will not be accuse of negligence.
“We want to appreciate your job, particularly, Ikeja Electric’s CEO, Mrs. Folake Soetan. I’ve had the opportunity of discussing with her and I understand her passion to deliver the appropriate services for members of Armed Forces, AVM Ademulegun reiterated.
Also, he thanked the Chairman, Dr. Kola Adeshina, for his commitment giving them significant assurance.
Reacting to the scenario on Friday morning while speaking on TVC, the CEO/MD, Association of National Electricity Distribution (ANED), Barr Sunday Oduntan, boasted that the NAF Base woud remain without electricity supply until they pay their debts.
He maintained that the tampering with the company’s equipment, including the Autorecloser device, constituted a violation of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Order on unauthorized access, meter tampering, and bypass.
Consequently he added, such infractions will not only attract legal consequences but a penalty amounting to 300% of the base’s last recorded monthly consumption would be paid before any reconnection could be carried out.
However, it was learnt that Ikeja Electric Plc had resorted to different ways to make Airforce Base to settle their outstanding debt but that hadn’t yielded desired result.
In a letter addressed to the Base Commander of SEAFB, the power distribution company expressed concerns over the continued non-payment of electricity bills, repeated acts of vandalism against its equipment, and the refusal to allow the installation of a High Voltage Autorecloser device which help to manage electricity supply to the Base in line with payments received at the base.
According to IKEDC Chief Executive Officer, Folake Soetan, explained that since the privatization of Ikeja Electric 12 years ago, they had continuously served SEAFB despite accumulating a debt burden that had significantly impacted its operations.
Adding that in 2024, the base accrued an additional N893 million in unpaid electricity bills.
She observed that since then, IKEDC management have been engaging the NAF Base on the need to settle unpaid monthly bills. However, their diplomatic efforts did not yield any positive response.
In other to mitigate financial losses as a result, they made efforts to install Autorecloser device to regulate electricity supply in proportion to payments received, but lamented that the device were vandalized twice.
While decrying an agreement reached with the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Logistic Command, Air Vice Marshal Ademulegun, on October 3, 2024, to install a High Voltage Pre-paid meter at the base, was not honoured, she stated that access for the installation were denied twice, in December 2024 and February 2025, further exacerbating the debt crisis.
“In light of the refusal to install the pre-paid meter, repeated damage to our equipment, and an accumulated debt exceeding N4 billion, we have now taken the difficult decision to withdraw our services from SEAFB,” Ikeja Electric stated.
However, despite the disconnection, Ikeja Electric said they are ready to engage the Air Force to resolve the matter amicably, provided that a mutually acceptable payment structure and energy management system could be agreed upon.
Meanwhile, the company noted that their office was vandalized on Thursday, 6th March, 2025 while their personnel were assaulted and bruised.
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