Customer slams N50m suit on Ikeja Disco over alleged extortion, violation of rights
A former National Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, Saliu Alao Lawal, has dragged Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) Plc to court, demanding ₦50 million in damages for
A former National Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, Saliu Alao Lawal, has dragged Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) Plc to court, demanding ₦50 million in damages for alleged extortion and violation of his fundamental rights.
In the suit( No ID/ADR/370/2026) filed at a Lagos High Court, Ikeja Division, Lawal averred that he had visited the Oworo Undertaking Office of IKEDC in Gbagada to lodge a complaint after discovering that his prepaid meter was no longer vending, despite continued electricity consumption in his home.
Lawal averred that he expected the company to investigate the abnormality, rectify the issue, and appreciate his honesty in willingly reporting the matter. Instead, he said that his prepaid meter was allegedly immobilised and that the electricity supply to his residence was disconnected from the pole. He was then given three options: to wait for a new free prepaid meter, as a Band A customer, albeit for an unknown period of time, or to buy and install a prepaid meter himself, or to sign an undertaking to pay a minimum monthly charge of ₦250,000 and be connected directly to the pole.
Lawal averred further that he subsequently paid the stipulated sum of ₦228,115:58 for a new 3-phase prepaid meter.
Surprisingly, when the meter was eventually supplied on January 31, 2026, the technicians who brought the meter allegedly demanded an additional ₦154,000 for the installation, which he also paid. Meanwhile, his old meter had been immobilised by the company.
Lawal stated that just 23 days after the installation of the new meter, he was unable to recharge the meter and was then reportedly confronted with the shocking information that the newly installed meter carried an outstanding debit of ₦1,944,604.14, even after he had previously shown proof to the Service Manager, Mrs. Bolanle Williams, that he was away in the United States.
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Still seeking a peaceful resolution, Lawal reportedly approached Mrs. Williams for clarification and assistance, but she declined to see him after waiting for about one and a half hours, and instead she instructed her receptionist, one Amaka, to redirect him to Mrs. Morenike Owonaiye, the Marketing Manager of the Oworo Undertaking.
He further alleged that Owonaiye dismissed his complaints in a very unprofessional and inhumane manner, but bluntly, rudely and arrogantly told him to pay the money or forfeit the supply of electricity to his home henceforth. Lawal described the conduct of all the officials involved as exploitative, fraudulent, rude, arrogant, and criminal in nature, especially for a company entrusted with public service delivery.
Lawal said he carefully documented the entire sequence of events in a petition submitted to the Managing Director of Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission - LASERC, so that the matter could be properly reviewed and adequate redress and compensation granted by IKEDC to no avail, hence, he decided to seek redress in court.
