Following last Thursday’s violent attack on Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), fifteen injured staff members were still receiving medical care at undisclosed hospitals as of yesterday. The company’s office remained deserted, and power had yet to be restored at the Sam Ethan Air Force Base.

The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has strongly denounced the attack, in which scores of employees were brutalized and company property was vandalized. NECA called on the Federal Government to investigate outstanding electricity debts at military bases nationwide and ensure prompt payment to prevent future conflicts.

Chairman of Ikeja Disco, Kola Adesina, disclosed that the Nigerian Air Force owes the company N4 billion, a debt that has remained unsettled despite seven years of negotiations.

“We are being owed a significant chunk of money, about N4 billion,” Adesina stated. “As a distribution company, we are responsible for collecting and remitting funds to the electricity supply chain, including gas suppliers and transmission companies. This outstanding debt has put a huge strain on our operations, making us financially unstable.”

While Ikeja Disco and the Air Force have exchanged numerous correspondences over the years, efforts to resolve the issue have not yielded results.

A visit to the Ikeja Disco headquarters in Alausa, Lagos, yesterday revealed a tense atmosphere. The usually bustling office was nearly empty, with many employees staying away due to fear and trauma from the attack.

Employees who were present recounted harrowing experiences, with some sustaining physical injuries, including sprains and bruises. A female staff member, who spoke anonymously, described the incident as a terrifying ordeal.

“I thought we were under attack by armed thugs,” she said. “I fell in the chaos and got bruises on my knee. Some of my colleagues sprained their ankles while trying to escape. It’s shocking that military personnel could attack a privately owned company in this manner.”

The company’s Public Relations Officer, Kingsley Okotie, confirmed that many injured employees were still receiving medical care.

“I am limping. I am not even at home. I am taking care of myself medically, like some other colleagues,” Okotie stated. “People are scared and traumatized. What assurance do we have that they won’t come again?”

He further confirmed that electricity had not been restored to the Air Force Base, emphasizing that it was impossible to resume operations under duress.

Condemning the attack, NECA Director General, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, called for an urgent response from the Federal Government to prevent a recurrence.

“This unlawful attack diminishes Nigeria’s democratic progress and sends a negative signal to investors,” Oyerinde said. “No rational investor would put money into a country where businesses and their employees are subjected to such impunity.”

NECA urged the government to immediately clear the N4 billion debt owed by the Air Force and set up a committee to review military electricity debts nationwide to avoid further disputes.

“The attack on Ikeja Electric is a national embarrassment. We call on the Federal Government to ensure that debts owed by military institutions are settled to maintain stability in the electricity sector,” the statement read.

As the situation unfolds, stakeholders continue to seek urgent resolutions to ensure the safety of workers, the stability of electricity distribution, and respect for lawful business operations.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has disbursed ₦11.2 million to the families of three police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. The presentation took place in Lokoja on Tuesday.

According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP William Ovye, the disbursement was made under the Group Life Assurance and IGP Family Welfare Schemes. The total amount handed over to the bereaved families was ₦11,245,379.35.

The initiative, spearheaded by the IGP, is aimed at supporting the families of fallen officers and helping them cope with financial challenges following the loss of their loved ones. The police described the gesture as part of the ongoing commitment of the Nigeria Police Force Welfare Scheme to ensure that the sacrifices of officers are not forgotten.

The cheque presentation ceremony was attended by senior officers of the Kogi State Police Command. During the event, the bereaved families expressed appreciation for the financial support, which they said provided much-needed relief during a difficult period.

The Kogi State Police Command reaffirmed its dedication to the welfare of officers and their families. It assured that through the Group Life Assurance Scheme and IGP Family Welfare Scheme, the police would continue to assist the families of officers who lost their lives in service to the nation.

A U.S. court has sentenced Nigerian-born Oluwole Adegboruwa, 54, and his accomplice, Enrique Isong, 49, to a total of 40 years in prison for their roles in a multi-million-dollar dark web drug trafficking operation. The sentencing, announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah on Friday, comes after a lengthy investigation.

Adegboruwa received a 30-year prison sentence, a lifetime of supervised release, and was ordered to forfeit over $20 million—the largest forfeiture ever in Utah for such crimes. His co-defendant, Isong, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release.

Court documents revealed that between October 2016 and May 2019, Adegboruwa sold over 300,000 oxycodone pills through dark web marketplaces, generating $9.1 million in illicit proceeds. He managed a sophisticated operation involving sourcing, packaging, and distributing pharmacy-grade pills across the U.S., with payments processed through cryptocurrency accounts.

Adegboruwa admitted to running the dark web operation and managing both the sales and the financial transactions that concealed the operation’s illicit profits.

U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins emphasized the importance of dismantling such operations, while DEA Special Agent Jonathan Pullen warned that traffickers can’t hide their activities, even on the dark web. IRS Criminal Investigation’s Carissa Messick noted that the $20 million forfeiture highlights the significant impact of the investigation.

The case was a joint effort by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the DEA, and the IRS Criminal Investigation.