Journalist And IKEDC Staff Assaulted As Air Force Personnel Storm Power Company Headquarters.
A group of armed Air Force personnel from the Ikeja Air Force Base stormed the headquarters of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) on Thursday morning, assaulting journalists and company staff in a shocking display of force.
The military officers arrived at the IKEDC office, opposite MITV in Ikeja, at around 7:40 a.m., reportedly in response to the disconnection of their military base from the power supply.
Among the victims of the assault was PUNCH correspondent Dare Olawin, who had arrived at the premises to join fellow journalists travelling to Adiyan, Ogun State, for the unveiling of a solar project. As they waited inside a coaster bus, Air Force personnel spotted them, dragged them out, and subjected them to physical assault, forcing them to sit on the floor.
Olawin’s mobile phones and power bank were confiscated, and he was threatened with being shot if he attempted to speak. The Air Force officers, led by a female officer, took control of the IKEDC office for over an hour and a half, preventing movement and intimidating those present.
During the raid, they reportedly assaulted company staff, blocked access roads, and detained engineers and drivers, demanding the immediate restoration of electricity to the military base.
According to the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of Ikeja Electric, Kingsley Okotie, the military personnel went on a rampage, breaking down doors in search of the company’s CEO, Mrs Folake Soetan. When they found her, she was allegedly assaulted and forcibly placed in the trunk of a vehicle within the premises.
The incident has sparked outrage, with calls for an investigation into the actions of the military personnel involved. Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the matter.