By: Adeosun Ewatomi
The Nigerian Army has refuted claims that its soldiers invaded the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) substation in Badagry, Lagos State.
Speaking to reporters, the acting deputy director of Army Public Relations for the 81 Division, Olalekan Ayeni, clarified that no EKEDC staff member was abducted or detained at the barracks. He also stated that the footage circulating on the matter was unrelated to the alleged incident in Badagry.
Ayeni addressed the claims made by the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors on March 18, 2025, dismissing them as misleading and inaccurate. He explained that the Topo Barracks community in Badagry had been experiencing a power outage for over a month despite repeated reassurances from EKEDC.
According to him, power was finally restored on March 14, 2025, at around 12:30 AM, but a power surge followed, sparking a fire in a facility managed by EKEDC within the barracks. This caused panic among residents, prompting soldiers on duty to coordinate with EKEDC personnel to manage the situation.
Ayeni further stated that EKEDC technical staff were allowed into the barracks at about 1:00 AM to fix the issue and left around 2:30 AM after completing their work. During the repairs, an argument occurred between an EKEDC worker and a soldier, but it was quickly resolved.