According to the leader of the initiative, Hon. Lanre, in a press statement, he said the Ikeja Electric have since on Monday 17th of June, 2019 throng into our community with the use of heavily armed police force to out disconnection operation against our agreed resolution with the company that there will be no disconnection until we are metered.

The statement reads, “The Oke-Ira/Aguda/Ogba NEPA committee, a registered body that speaks for the community on electric matters, with the four joint CDA’s and representatives of the Ojodu LCDA have had series of meeting with the Ikeja Electric demanding for the community prepaid metering as the lasting solution to the unjustified billing of the people.

It is in face of this struggle asking for justice; demanding our prepaid meter that we lost one of our community fathers that slumped in meeting with Ikeja Electric Management on 29th of March, 2017.”

He added that “despite the January peaceful demonstration to Ikeja Electric Headquarters at Alausa Lagos to reject Dec extremely crazy bill. A shop or bungalow with 5 single room apartment still in Oke-Ira Community, a residence and commerce hub that hardly enjoy up to 7 to 8 hours daily receive nothing less than N30,000 to N40,000 per month. We have asked many times the justification for the Ikeja Electric billing system but they could not say.

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“The Ikeja Electric had failed their promises to the leadership of the community to unfailingly install prepaid meters to every house in Oke-Ira community by February 2019. Having failed they came back to promise April…and this is June with no prepaid meter in sight.

“Why disconnection if the Ikeja Electric meant providing prepaid meters has promise knowing that the debts will eventually be roll to the prepaid meter for payment in installment? Must Ikeja Electric frustrate the community already frustrated? Businesses folding up and residents are packing out of the community holding to low or no power supply. Leaving the house owners to their fate.”

The initiative, however, expressed that the non compliance of Ikeja Electric to give the community prepaid meter has been an intentional act for more exploitation of funds from to them.

The statement continues, “We are beginning to realize with this intimidation and broad day harassment that Ikeja Electric is deliberately withholding supply of prepaid meters to Oke-Ira Community, given that they will make more money from estimated billing system than prepaid system.

“We call on our founding and traditional fathers; the constituted leaders and representatives that have always been encouraging us to be peaceful and seek elderly and legal redress in face of harassment to speak out to condemn this illegal use of armed force on harmless consumers. The Ikeja Electric is beginning to take advantage of our being peaceful and cultured.

“We understand that The Nigerian Police Force is an agency saddled with responsibility to enforce law and order that will definitely respond to anyone; community or company that seek protection, but yet they should not be brought down to be used as tool to oppress… They should not be used against law abiding people to pay for what they did not buy.

Ikeja Electric and consumers matter should be a civil or better still business matter that should be addressed without force. We can restrict illegal operations, but yet it has never been recorded of Oke-Ira community taking law into their hands against staff of the Ikeja Electric.”

The initiative called on Ikeja Electric to do the needful by providing prepaid meters to the community as no amount of intimidation or harassment will make the community back down of their demand for prepaid meter.