Eko Electric Staff Escapes Lynching Over Attempts To Disconnect Consumers Over Unpaid Bills

KINGSLEY EBERE 

A staff of Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Adeniyi Matthew, had a nasty experience in Lagos State while performing his lawful duty by attempting to disconnect electricity supply of some residents over unpaid bills. 

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the victim, Matthew escaped lynching after angry residents descended on him and beat him seriously before he was eventually rescued. But before then he had already been battered.

The incident happened at Ogbe Close, Iwaya area of Yaba, Lagos, where the victim, Matthew went for disconnection over accumulated bills.

The residents were said to have complained over the bills but the management of the electricity distribution company were adamant and insisted that they must pay the bills despite the fact that they claimed that they hardly had electricity supply in the area.

One of the residents, a 54-year old Olajide Aro, was alleged to have mobilized others now at large to attack the staff of the Eko Electric.

According to the Police, the victim went to disconnect electricity supply having confirmed them to be owing arrears of bills. They warned him not to do so but he insisted on carrying out his lawful duty.

This angered some of the residents, who attacked, beat him mercilessly and inflicted injury on him with fist blows before he was rescued.

The matter was reported to the Police at Sabo Police Division and the suspect was arrested and detained for interrogation over his alleged conduct.

After interrogation, the Police found him culpable and charged him before the Yaba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.

The charges read:

That you, Olajide Aro and others at large, on 18th July, 2024 at about 3pm at No. 28, Ogbe Close, Iwaya area of Yaba, Lagos State, in the Yaba Magisterial district, did conspire together to commit felony to wit assault occasioning harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”

COUNT II:- That you, Olajide Aro and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by forcefully disallowing Eko Electricity Distribution company a.k.a NEPA Staff, from carrying out disconnection of consumers who are owing and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 168(d) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”

COUNT III: That you, Olajide Aro and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did obstruct one Adeniyi Matthew ‘m’ while performing his legitimate duty and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 116(1) and punishable under Section 116(2) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”

COUNT IV:- That you, Olajide Aro and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did assault the aforesaid Adeniyi Matthew ‘m’ by giving him fist blows, which as a result he sustained a cut on his lower lip and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 173 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”

He pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Supol Thomas Nurudeen, asked the Court to give a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.

The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. P.E. Nwaka, granted him bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.

The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.