In a shocking display of military aggression, more than 100 armed personnel from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) stormed the headquarters of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) in Lagos, violently assaulting employees, including pregnant women. The invasion, reportedly led by an Air Vice Marshal, was allegedly in response to a longstanding electricity debt dispute.
According to eyewitness accounts and footage shared by Sahara Reporters, the incident unfolded on Thursday morning when multiple trucks loaded with fully armed Air Force personnel arrived at the IKEDC office, located opposite MITV in Ikeja. Without warning, the soldiers descended upon the premises, brutalizing workers and creating an atmosphere of terror.
Speaking on Arise Television on Friday, the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan, described the attack as “deeply traumatizing.” He recounted how staff members were forcefully made to lie on the ground and beaten mercilessly.
“We are very, very traumatised. They stormed the premises, brutalising everyone in sight, including pregnant women. The Chief Technical Officer of Ikeja Electric, who ironically oversees the Air Force Base’s power supply, was among those severely beaten and remains hospitalised,” Oduntan lamented.
At the heart of the conflict is an unresolved electricity bill dating back to November 1, 2013. Records show that the Nigerian Air Force Base at Ikeja accrued a total electricity bill of ₦7.56 billion between 2013 and 2022 but only paid ₦4.3 billion, leaving a ₦3.2 billion deficit.
Further breakdowns revealed that in 2023, the base was billed ₦1.4 billion but only paid ₦1.2 billion. In 2024, the bill rose to ₦1.5 billion, yet only ₦623 million was remitted, bringing the total outstanding debt to ₦4.34 billion as of March 2025.
Despite repeated attempts by IKEDC to recover these funds, NAF allegedly refused to settle the arrears, despite having budgetary allocations for electricity.
In an attempt to find a middle ground, IKEDC introduced an auto-recloser—a device that regulates power supply based on payment patterns. However, Air Vice Marshal A.K. Ademulegun reportedly rejected the initiative, demanding 24-hour electricity supply despite the unpaid bills.
When IKEDC proposed the installation of prepaid meters—which would ensure the base only consumes electricity based on actual payments—the Air Force allegedly ignored official requests and even denied access to install the meters in December 2024.
Adding to the controversy, IKEDC accused military personnel of vandalizing its infrastructure, claiming that Air Force operatives twice tampered with an auto-recloser device and disconnected communication cables in an apparent act of sabotage.
IKEDC has since written multiple letters to the Chief of Air Staff and the AOC Logistics, demanding accountability and immediate payment of outstanding debts.
Oduntan condemned the military’s actions, calling them a disturbing example of unchecked military impunity.
“To fully understand how we have reached this level of lawlessness, it is important to examine the events leading up to this situation. This must stop,” he stated firmly.
As the situation escalates, concerns are mounting over the increasing militarization of civil disputes and the blatant disregard for the rule of law by security agencies. The incident raises urgent questions about accountability, due process, and the unchecked power wielded by military forces in civilian affairs.
With tensions at an all-time high, all eyes are now on the federal government and the military leadership to take decisive action and ensure that such incidents do not become a dangerous precedent.
PIONEER NEWS 