Reports of violent attacks by military personnel on staff of electricity distribution companies (DisCos) in Lagos State have sparked national concern, with many decrying the incidents as a gross abuse of power and a violation of democratic norms.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The incidents, which involved soldiers and Air Force officers allegedly assaulting electricity workers over power outages in their barracks, have raised serious questions about military conduct and civil-military relations. Despite denials from military authorities and efforts to downplay the events as isolated, evidence points to coordinated attacks that resulted in injuries and the hospitalization of at least two DisCo employees.

One such incident occurred on March 14, 2025, at the Badagry Injection Substation where soldiers from the 15th Field Engineers Regiment in Topo town assaulted staff of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC). Another earlier attack was reported on March 9, when personnel from the Sam Ethnam Air Force Base stormed the Ikeja Electricity Company’s headquarters in Alausa, Lagos, in a military truck and OP-MESA vehicles.

In the Badagry case, the soldiers forcibly removed two staff members, who were reportedly tortured. The invasion caused security personnel, including officers from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to flee.

The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) confirmed both incidents and explained that persistent outages were due to a feeder tripping under excessive load. The association added that EKEDC had already briefed Lt. Col. S. Lawan, the commanding officer of the affected barracks, about ongoing transmission network upgrades that disrupted power supply.

Despite being informed, the attacks still occurred, raising questions about the chain of command and whether the commanding officer approved or was aware of the actions taken by his men.

Electricity supply issues require technical interventions and patience—not intimidation or violence. Experts have noted that the solution to the outages involved reducing the feeder load or replacing it with a higher-capacity unit, tasks which were already underway before the attacks.

There are also unresolved issues surrounding unpaid electricity bills by the military barracks involved. These financial disputes, as well as supply challenges, should be resolved through official dialogue rather than coercion.

The two assaults underline the increasing tension in Nigeria’s power sector and should serve as a wake-up call to the Ministry of Power, DisCos, and regulatory agencies. As service delivery continues to deteriorate, public frustration is mounting—creating an environment where force is mistakenly seen as a solution.

While the military’s actions are condemnable, the broader crisis in Nigeria’s electricity sector cannot be ignored. More than six decades after independence, the country still grapples with unstable power supply, poor infrastructure, and inefficient service delivery—even after the privatization of the sector.

In many communities, citizens pay for transformers and bear maintenance costs, despite being charged for electricity. The failure of the government to ensure stable power, coupled with DisCos’ underperformance, has deepened public dissatisfaction.

The military must uphold the rule of law and protect, not harm, civilians. Similarly, DisCos must invest in infrastructure and improve responsiveness. Government regulators must enforce payment compliance across all institutions, including the military, as DisCos now operate as private businesses, not public utilities.

Under no circumstance should electricity workers be assaulted. Grievances must be addressed through proper legal channels—not through violence.