MICHAEL AKINOLA
The problems associated with estimated electricity bills issued by Ikeja Electric Company have become a recurring decimal as they have continued to cause friction between the company and their customers in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports a staff of Ikeja Electric Company, Akanbi Adebayo, will not forget 17th October, 2022, in a hurry when he went to disconnect power supply over estimated electricity bills as he was brutally attacked and mercilessly beaten up by one of tenants in a compound.
The incident happened at Saheed Kehinde Street, Orisubare area of Shasha, Lagos, where Adebayo went with two other staff of the company to perform their official duty.
The suspect, Aliyu Usman, has been arrested for the alleged violent conduct.
Trouble was said to have started when Adebayo went to the house and attempted to disconnect their light over accumulated estimated bills and Usman was said to have tried to explain to him why they will not be able to pay the estimated bill.
According to the residents, the company has been bringing crazy bills for them to pay and the bills had continued to pile up to the extent that it will be difficult to clear and thereby subject the tenants to undue extorting by the Ikeja Electric staff.
When the tenants wanted to explain the situation to Adebayo, he refused to listen to them and wanted to go ahead to disconnect their light. It was at that point the suspect, Usman, reportedly grabbed him and beat him silly before he was eventually rescued by his other staff.
He was badly injured and was taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment while the matter was reported to the Police. The Police then arrested Usman and subsequently charged him before the Ejigbo Magistrates Court for the alleged offence.
He pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned.
The prosecutor, Inspector Simeon Njue, then 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, Mrs. A.K. Dosumu, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood.
The matter was adjourned till 14th November, 2022, while the defendant was remanded in the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.
P.M.EXPRESS confirmed that it was not only in Shasha area that estimated bills had caused serious problems between the customers and Ikeja Electric Company. The issue also posed challenges in other areas including Igando, Ikotun, Egan, Idimu and other parts of Lagos State and it seems that the company does not want to address it.