Alleged illegal disconnection: Pensioner slams N20m suit against Ikeja Electric Plc, NERC

A retired Deputy Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), Akinbode Agbaoye has asked the High Court of Lagos State to order the Ikeja Electric Plc and the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to pay him the sum of  N20 million as compensation for the damages he suffered on account of illegal disconnection of supply of electricity to his property.

In the suit filed by his counsel, Ganiyu Bello, the plaintiff is also praying the court for an order directing the defendants to restore electricity supply to his property located on Plot No. 3, Iguodala Street, Opeki Village, Abesan Estate, Ipaja, Lagos State.

He is also claiming N25, 000 per day as the cost of generating energy to the property using an electric generator with effect from May 2017 until electricity supply is restored to his property.

Agbaoye, who is now a pensioner is also claiming a 21 percent interest on the N20 million per anum with effect from May, 2017 until the money is fully paid and that the court should also compel the defendants to install a pre-paid meter to his property for proper calculation of electricity consumed.

In his statement of claim, the plaintiff averred that his property was connected with electricity in December 2015 without a pre-paid meter to calculate the quantum of electricity consumed and that all efforts to get a pre-paid meter installed for use were rebuffed by the Ikeja Electric Plc.

He said he noticed that the bills, beginning from February to July 2016 were consistently bogus, unreasonable, and outrageous, which he said he protested in writing.

The plaintiff said he pleaded for a downward review of the bills and make some reasonable and for the installation of the pre-paid meter which he had earlier applied for.

While waiting for a response, he said the first defendant summarily disconnected the electricity supply to the property even after acknowledging the N10, 000 which he pays per month.

“Consequent upon the disconnection of electricity supply to the property, the high patronage to the guest house dropped drastically, foodstuff, meat, vegetables, pepper and everything he had in the kitchen fridges, worth N2. 5 million perished and were destroyed”, he said.

Agbaoye also claimed that the sudden disconnection of electricity to his property on May 9, 2016, was unreasonable, unwarranted, illegal, vindictive and untenable.

He said he resorted to legal action after all efforts for amicable resolution of the issue proved abortive and added that, in spite of the powers conferred on the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission for purposes of enhancing the service of the Ikeja Electric Plc to the general public, the Commission has made itself perpetually  parasitic to the company and in consequence, lost its power of control to the detriment of the public.