NAF Personnel Allegedly invade Ikeja Electric HQ over Disconnection for N4bn Debt

Yinka Olatunbosun

Some workers at the Ikeja Electric Headquarters in Ikeja have alleged that some armed personnel of the Nigerian Air Force, reportedly from the Sam Ethnan Barracks, Ikeja, Lagos State, had stormed the headquarters of Ikeja Electric after the company disconnected power supply due to an alleged N4bn accumulated debt on Thursday.

The Head of Corporate Communications at Ikeja Electric, Kingsley Okotie, described the attack as “a traumatic experience and the height of impunity.”

“They invaded our premises, beat us up, stole, destroyed, molested, and assaulted us. They held us hostage for hours. I broke my leg in the stampede. This is shameful,” Okotie said.

According to him, Ikeja Electric had repeatedly written to the Air Force regarding the unpaid debt before disconnecting the barracks from power supply. Instead of seeking dialogue, the military personnel allegedly responded with violence.

“We have written severally, and they were disconnected. Rather than resolving it through proper dialogue, they resorted to threats and this morning, they carried out those threats,” Okotie added.

Noting that they were still taking stock of the injured workers, Okotie said 16 company vehicles were reportedly seized at gunpoint, with drivers forced to drive them out of the Ikeja Electric’s office under duress.

“I am Kingsley Okotie, the Head of Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric. This is shameful. They (@NigAirForce) invaded our premises because they are out of supply because they are owing N4bn in accumulated debts for 10 years and they are not paying and the records are there,” Okotie tweeted.

It was alleged that the armed personnel stormed the Oshodi office beating and seizing phones.

Meanwhile the videos and images of some Ikeja Electric staff scampering to safety have gone viral on social media. In some videos, some officials of Ikeja Electric were made to kneel down under the sun while it was reported that the CEO of Ikeja Electric, Folake Soetan was locked in the trunk of the car during the raid.
Efforts to reach the spokesman for the Nigerian Airforce to react to or confirm this allegation have proved abortive.