Again, Army storm Eko Disco, assault workers over power supply

For the second time in recent months, Nigerian military personnel have been accused of assaulting electricity distribution workers over power supply disputes.

In the early hours of March 14, 2025, soldiers from the Nigerian Army’s 15th Field Engineers Regiment in Topo Town, Badagry, allegedly invaded the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (Eko Disco) Badagry Injection Substation.

Reports indicate that they abducted two employees—a Distribution System Operator (DSO) and a Proton Security Officer.

According to Sunday Oduntan, Managing Director of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), the kidnapped staff members were taken to the soldiers’ barracks, where they were reportedly beaten before being released at around 4 a.m.

“Their claim was poor electricity supply to their barracks in the last one week, despite the fact that their Commanding Officer, Lt Col S. Lawan, was duly informed of the ongoing Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) upgrade in Agbara,” Oduntan said.

He explained that power restoration efforts were made, but the feeder tripped due to excess load.

This latest incident follows an attack by personnel from the Nigerian Air Force Base in Ikeja, Lagos, on Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (Ikeja Electric) workers. That assault, reportedly over the disconnection of power to the base, involved the vandalisation of Ikeja Electric’s head office and the brutalisation of its staff.

The repeated military interference in electricity distribution has raised concerns among industry stakeholders, who are calling for urgent government intervention to prevent further attacks on power sector workers.