The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has condemned the attacks on power distribution companies by military men, telling the National Security Adviser to call the soldiers to order.
Adelabu kicked against the forceful abduction, intimidation, assault, brutalisation of the staff, and destruction of the facilities at the substation of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company in Badagry, Lagos State, by personnel of the Nigerian Army.
The attack happened on March 14, following a temporary power outage. It occurred barely a week after the assault on the staff and the infrastructure of the Ikeja Electric Distribution Company by the Nigerian Air Force on March 6.
In a statement on Wednesday, Adelabu described the vandalism, destruction, and forceful abduction of staff as not only unacceptable but also a direct threat to the stability of Nigeria’s power supply and the economic well-being of the country.
He called on the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, to intervene by calling security operatives to order, adding that there are ways such issues could be handled without resorting to violence, especially in a democratic setting.
In the statement issued by his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, the minister noted that electricity infrastructure is the backbone of the Nigerian economy and a critical enabler of development.
“Attacks on these facilities and staff on duty undermine the efforts of the Federal Government to ensure stable and reliable power supply to homes, businesses, and public institutions.
“The repeated targeting of power infrastructure and the personnel of distribution companies by uniformed personnel, who are expected to protect national assets, is deeply troubling and raises serious concerns about discipline and accountability within our armed forces,” he said.
He noted that “the Nigerian Army was emboldened to attack EKEDC facilities and staff because of the silence of the Federal Government on the earlier invasion of Ikeja Electric by the Air Force. The NSA has to wade into this matter in order to forestall further attacks.”
The minister maintained that the attack on the EKEDC substation has resulted in significant damage, leading to power outages and disruptions in service to thousands of customers.
“This comes at a time when the government is working tirelessly to improve the efficiency and reliability of the power sector. Such actions are counterproductive and sabotage the collective progress we are striving to achieve,” Adelabu stressed.
The power minister called on the Nigerian Army to immediately investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.
He also urged the military high command to take urgent steps to educate and sensitise its personnel to the importance of protecting critical national infrastructure, saying the repeated occurrence of such incidents suggests a systemic issue that must be addressed with the utmost urgency.
Adelabu said the power ministry remains committed to working with all stakeholders to safeguard power infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to all Nigerians.
The minister added that though he recognises the sensitive role of the military in safeguarding the country and protecting its assets, the military should see the power sector as a partner in progress and not an enemy.
“We appeal to all Nigerians, including members of the armed forces, to recognise the importance of protecting our power infrastructure. These facilities are vital to our collective prosperity, and their destruction harms us all,” he concluded.
