About 12 members of the Nigerian Air Force from the Logistics Command stormed the headquarters and Oshodi Business Unit of Ikeja Electric in protest.
Their anger stemmed from the power disconnection at their base two weeks earlier due to an unpaid debt of N4 billion.
The lack of electricity had left the base in darkness, affecting operations and even forcing patients at the base hospital to be transferred elsewhere.
News About Nigeria learnt that the Air Force personnel, arriving in a forceful manner, physically assaulted staff, arrested around 15 workers, and damaged office equipment, including laptops, phones, and vehicles.
The invasion took place twice in one day.
During their first visit, they vandalized properties and forcibly took staff members, making them sit in uncomfortable positions.
When an army officer from the 9th Brigade arrived to assess the situation and asked them to leave, they complied temporarily.
However, after the officer left, they returned and continued their assault.
Journalists present at the scene who tried to document the incident had their phones seized and destroyed, with one reporter reportedly attacked.
Prior to this incident, the Lagos State government had asked Ikeja Electric to restore power to the Air Force base, but the company later cut off supply again due to non-payment.
The military had earlier raised concerns that the blackout was putting stored jet fuel at risk of overheating, which could lead to dangerous consequences.
Ikeja Electric condemned the attack, stating that their company operates as a private business and does not receive government funding.
They described the Air Force’s actions as unjust, saying that despite repeated reminders about the unpaid debt, no effort had been made to clear it.
The company also claimed that military officials had issued threats, referencing the 2002 Ikeja Cantonment bomb explosion as a potential consequence if power was not restored.
The Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, AVM Adeniran Ademuwagun, described the attack as unfortunate and promised an investigation.
He assured the affected employees that those responsible would face consequences.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) strongly condemned the attack, describing it as brutal and unacceptable.
The union revealed that military personnel took away several employees, including a commercial manager and 13 drivers, and subjected them to harsh treatment.
In response, the union advised its members to stay away from work until their safety could be guaranteed, warning that services could be withdrawn nationwide if the situation was not addressed.
