Lagos, Nigeria – A newly surfaced CCTV video has confirmed allegations that armed military personnel forcefully invaded the Ikeja Electric (IKEDC) office in Alausa, Lagos, assaulting staff and causing damage to property in a shocking escalation of a dispute over unpaid electricity bills.
The video, which went viral on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, shows uniformed officers from the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base in Ikeja storming the premises around 7:40 a.m. on Thursday. Dressed in full military gear and wielding whips, the officers are seen kicking down doors, aggressively confronting employees, and instilling fear among staff members. A female employee is captured on camera fleeing towards the stairs in panic as the invasion unfolds.
According to reports, the military personnel also abducted Ikeja Electric’s CEO, Folake Soetan, while another group of officers allegedly attacked the company’s branch at Ago Palace Way, Okota. The incident has sparked widespread outrage, raising concerns over the increasing tensions between military institutions and civilian organizations.
Sources reveal that the conflict stemmed from Ikeja Electric’s decision to disconnect power supply to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) logistics base in Ikeja due to an outstanding multimillion-naira debt. The base had reportedly been without electricity for two weeks, escalating tensions between both parties.
An agreement was allegedly in place for the NAF to pay IKEDC ₦60 million monthly in exchange for a guaranteed power supply of 10 to 12 hours daily. However, Ikeja Electric officials claim the military failed to meet its financial obligations, leading to the disconnection. In contrast, a military source insists that NAF had not only honored the agreement but had even overpaid by ₦60 million in November, with no clarity from IKEDC regarding the balance.
Adding to the concerns, military officials argue that the power outage posed security risks, particularly to the base’s operational warehouse, which stores high-caliber armaments. Rising temperatures inside the facility, due to the failure of cooling systems, reportedly became a significant concern.
The incident has left many Ikeja Electric employees shaken, with some avoiding work over safety concerns. Witnesses reported that several employees were forced to kneel while others were physically assaulted. One employee, speaking anonymously, described the attack as “unheard of, unlawful, and disgraceful—that the military can invade the offices of companies in a civil society.”
Despite the severity of the incident, the Lagos State Police Command has denied any involvement in the raid. “The police were not involved in that incident. However, normalcy has returned to the area, and the police are on the ground to ensure that the restored normalcy is maintained,” said Benjamin Hundeyin, the police spokesperson.
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The release of the CCTV footage has fueled public anger, with citizens and human rights groups calling for an independent investigation into the military’s actions. Critics argue that such acts undermine the rule of law and threaten the security of businesses operating within Nigeria.
As the controversy unfolds, stakeholders are demanding accountability, urging the federal government to address the issue and prevent future incidents that could jeopardize civilian-military relations.
