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High bills: Ekiti electricity consumers’ boss alleges threat to life over protest

NIGERIA_ELECTRICITY_power

Abiodun Nejo, Ado Ekiti

The Chairman of Ado Ekiti Residents’ Consumers Association, Dr. Ibukun Ogundipe, has petitioned the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies over an alleged threat to his life for championing the cause of electricity consumers, who he said were being cheated.

Ogundipe, in a petition entitled: ‘Threat to my life following my confrontation with Benin Electricity Distribution Company’, dated November 12, 2018, addressed to Ekiti State Police Commissioner, Mr. Bello Ahmed and the state Director of Department of State Services, Mr. Precious Ihenacho, called for an investigation into the matter.

The consumers’ association boss urged the security agencies to “investigate those that are after his life and also provide adequate security for him, executive members of the association and their family members”.

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He said that the petition followed a series of threats over his role in confronting the BEDC over improper billing.

According to him, a letter from an anonymous source was dropped at the gate of his residence at Awedele, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, on November 9, 2018, which warned him to beware of the BEDC.

He said, “I stumbled on this information from one of our senior officials at BEDC, Ado Ekiti, who has been directed to obtain necessary information about you for a serious action against you for leading the agitation to curb the excessive billing by our distribution company.”

He said that BEDC officials had once reported him to the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, just as the DSS had earlier waded into the standoff between his association and the Disco.

Ogundipe said, “My actions, no doubt, did not go down well with BEDC. These may be the reason why BEDC would want to eliminate me.”

However, the BEDC Public Relations Officer, Mr. Kayode Brown, said the company would use security agencies and courts to resolve issues and not threat as alleged by the consumers.

Brown said: “We are licensed to operate in Nigeria and if we have any problem with anybody. We will handle it legally using security agencies and the court of law. We are not responsible for this threat and I want to say that Dr. Ogundipe should look elsewhere rather than BEDC for those hiding under this situation to threaten him.”

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