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Tensions between the Nigerian military and power distribution companies in Lagos escalated after soldiers allegedly attacked a substation belonging to Eko Electricity Distribution Company (Eko DisCo) over a power outage.
This incident comes just a week after Nigerian Air Force officers from the Sam Ethnan Airforce Base in Ikeja stormed the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (Ikeja DisCo) headquarters, assaulting staff members and journalists and vandalizing property worth billions of naira.
According to reports, the latest attack occurred around 1:00 a.m. on March 14.
Eko DisCo Condemns Attack, Calls for Government Action
Eko DisCo’s Head of Corporate Communications, Babatunde Lasaki, described the attack as unfortunate, stressing that such incidents are becoming more frequent due to the government’s failure to hold perpetrators accountable.
“The soldiers attacked our office at night. They went to one of our stations in Badagry and took two of our staff. Although they released them later that day, their actions were unacceptable. On Friday, they returned, demanding that power supply be restored immediately. Our workers explained that the outage was due to a fault and not deliberate, but the soldiers continued harassing them,” Lasaki said.
He added that the company’s legal team had reported the incident to the police and was preparing to petition the Chief of Army Staff, the Ministers of Defence and Power, and other relevant authorities.
ANED Raises Alarm Over Growing Military Interference
The Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan, expressed concern over the increasing military involvement in power sector disputes.
“We are still recovering from the recent assault on Ikeja Electric staff and the vandalism of their headquarters by the Air Force, and now the Army has invaded Eko DisCo’s substation in Badagry. This is unacceptable,” he said.
Oduntan also revealed that the Commanding Officer, Lt-Col S. Lawan, had already been informed about an ongoing Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) upgrade in Agbara.
Army Describes Incident as ‘Minor Misunderstanding’
Responding to the allegations, the Nigerian Army’s Director of Information, Maj-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, downplayed the incident, calling it a minor misunderstanding between soldiers and Eko DisCo workers following a fire outbreak at the substation.
He added that the unit’s Commanding Officer had set up a board of inquiry to investigate the fire and ensure that proper actions were taken.
Federal Universities, Teaching Hospitals Get Solar Power
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, announced that 20 federal universities and three teaching hospitals had received major solar power installations to reduce energy costs.
During a meeting with the Committee of Chairmen of Federal Polytechnic Governing Councils, led by Senator Barnabas Gemade, Aliyu emphasized the agency’s commitment to expanding access to clean, reliable energy in educational institutions.
“The Energising Education Programme has successfully deployed solar hybrid power plants to federal universities and teaching hospitals nationwide. We are working to accelerate the National Public Sector Solarisation Initiative, which will provide sustainable energy to even more public institutions, including polytechnics,” Aliyu said.
The committee also stressed the urgent need to electrify federal polytechnics, especially those not yet connected to the national grid, to enhance technical education and drive economic growth.
