Residents of Ebute-metta West popularly called ‘Apapa road’, have accused the management of Eko Electricity Distribution Plc (EKEDP) of embarking on Illegal Disconnection by using the street urchins popularly called area boys and armed to teeth security agents.

Residents of the community said despite an agreement reached with the electricity distribution company on how bill will be paid on monthly basis pending when the prepaid meters will be supplied, on two occasions, the power distribution company had invaded their community with area boys, policemen from Iponrin police division as well as men of Nigerian Civil Defence Corps (NCDC), and embarked on mass disconnection.

It was gathered that the officials of the EKEDP first stormed the community with large number of area boys and the men of Iponrin Police division and started disconnection. It was thorough the intervention of the chairman of Lagos Mainland Local Government, Mrs. Omolola Essien, who put a call to the Divisional Police Officers of Iponrin police division, before the officers engaged by EKEDP were withdrawn.

Not satisfied with the development, the community alleged that on November 27,  officials of the EKEDP returned to the community with battalion of Civil defence corps and continued to disconnect them from the power supply.

Speaking on the development, Mr. Seun Williams, said; “the Eko disco’s management invaded our community like an army on occupation with three trucks load of armed police men and debased so low as engaging the services of area boys.

“We challenged their impunity and I told the Business Manager and the police that the council chairman remains the Chief Security Officer of the Local Government. We called the chairman, Mrs. Omolola Essien, who swiftly responded by calling the DPO and a team of the Local government led by the Secretary to the Local Government (SLG) to the scene.

“On several occasions, the community and the power distribution company had agreed that until prepaid is supplied to every homes, there will be no disconnection and what to be paid monthly.

“But to our greatest surprise, the management of Eko Disco started billing us N10, 000, monthly without any step taken to supply us the prepaid meters. What is the per capita income of an average person that should be billed 10,000 monthly, for services not rendered. 

“They are oppressors and we are resolute to resist them legally”, Williams stated.

However, efforts to hear from the management of the power distribution company did not yield positive result, as calls and messages sent to the company’s Director of Communication, Mr. Godwin Idemudia MTN and Airtel lines were never returned.