John Ola
A bloody clash was averted on Thursday when officials of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) on illegal duty attempted to remove a new transformer and replace it with an old and epileptic one at Jacob Adeleye Junction in Odo-Eran area of Itire/Ikate local council development area
The team was allegedly led by one Mr. Omoniyi from Ijeshatedo Udertaking.
The transformer serves Jacob Adeleye, Olorogun, Adebayo Rufai streets, Trepower Avenue as well as Odo-Eran market.
It was gathered that a woman selling at Odo-Eran Bus Stop and who lives in one of the streets using the transformer raised the alarm when EKEDC operations vehicle pulled up near the transformer.
The van was loaded with an old transformer – possibly the one meant to replace the new one acquired recently by the communities – and a crane.
It was further learnt that the DisCo officials, led by the marketer, Mr. Ugwu Onyedikachi Christian, had earlier that day gone round the communities disconnecting power supply to debtor customers.
In an interview with NewsGazette, the woman who preferred anonymity said she was suspicious of their second visit and enquired from one of the technicians she was familiar with who, according to her, innocently told her their mission.
“They (EKEDC officials) came earlier in the day on revenue drive during which they cut power supply to those houses that were yet to update their payment. When they returned for the second time on that day, I knew something was fishy because there was no issue when they left earlier. I called one of them aside and enquired why they were back. Before that time, there was no power supply in all the communities using the transformer. He said innocently that they were coming to cart away the transformer. It was at that point that I raised the alarm which attracted people in the neighbourhood and the market. In the twinkling of an eye, the NEPA (EKEDC) staff were surrounded and stopped from carrying out their illegal operation,” she said.
As many people gathered, it was learnt that the DisCo personnel sensed danger and attempted to drive off but they could not do so because of the surging crowd.
Consequently, Omoniyi who led the botched operation was forced to come down from the vehicle during which he was bombarded with questions which he could not addressed adequately.
He was quoted to have said that the order to remove the transformer was from the Marina headquarters of EKEDC but said in the same breath that he got his brief from Ijora.
However, he could not produce any letter of authorisation.
In another interview with our correspondent, the chairman of one of the community associations who craved anonymity, said prior to the Thursday incident, there was a failed attempt by Ijeshatedo Undertaking and Mushin Business Unit to remove the transformer soon after it was installed early in the month and wondered why the DisCo staff were so particular about the transformer.
“The communities using the transformer were without electricity for two months, June and July. When the old transformer became faulty, we wrote to Mushin and Ijeshatedo to evacuate it but they foot dragged. We took our case to Marina which approved new transformer for us.
“After its installation, we were not connected to electricity supply till the first week of this month. Thereafter, we got wind that Ijesha and Mushin were making plans to remove the transformer illegally. The CDAs mobilised funds to roof the top of the cubicle housing the equipment to forestall any monkey business.
“Mushin was not happy with the step we took when they came on a dubious inspection tour. Why a technical staff from that office led the illegal operation is what I can’t understand. What is so particular about this transformer? They should tell us. The equipment serves four communities and a market. Ordinarily, the market, because of cold stores which consume electricity 24/7 is supposed to have a separate transformer, but we don’t mind,” he said.
He said the various CDAs would send a petition to the EKEDC headquarters.
NewsGazette had earlier reported that a 300kv transformer at Jacob Adeleye junction which supplies electricity to residents of the four streets and a market packed up on June 9 to which the community development associations under the aegis of ‘Concerned Odo-Eran Community Residents attached to Jacob Adeleye Transformer’ informed Mushin and Ijeshatedo to evacuate the faulty equipment and provide a new one.
Mushin and Ijesha were alleged to have had demanded for N500, 000 ‘counterpart fund’ from the residents before evacuating the old one when it was faulty and unserviceable
“Initially they asked for N500, 000 before they would evacuate the old transformer. We demanded to know what the money was meant for; whether they would not be bringing electricity bills after paying the ‘counterpart fund’ but they did not provide any answer,” one of the CDA chairmen told NewsGazette last in July.
As neither Mushin nor Ijesha responded, the CDAs approached Marina which, within a short time approved a new 500kv transformer to replace a 300kv geriatric one which the residents said was installed around 1985.
Since the new equipment was installed, the communities have had to sleep with one eye closed because of attempts by Mushin and Ijesha to stop at nothing to take away it away by hook or crook.
