The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has sealed the corporate headquarters of Ikeja Electric for allegedly leaving 19 residential units without electricity for about 30 months.
The commission disclosed in a statement on Thursday that this occurred despite the complainant, who owns the 19 units, paying all charges requested by Ikeja Electric and fulfilling every obligation.
According to The Punch, the enforcement took place on Thursday morning in the presence of security agents.
A Channels Television video showed the company’s staff being ordered out as FCCPC officials locked up the building.
Ikeja Electric confirmed the development, noting that it is engaging the FCCPC to ensure other customers are not affected by the closure of its headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
FCCPC’s Director of Surveillance and Investigation, Bola Adeyinka, said the action followed repeated engagements that the company failed to comply with, in line with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.
“Sealing this facility is a proportionate enforcement measure taken only after repeated engagement and several opportunities for voluntary compliance.
The seal will remain in place until Ikeja Electric complies fully with the directives issued by both NERC and the FCCPC and provides written evidence of that compliance,” Adeyinka said
According to the commission, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission had earlier issued a binding decision directing Ikeja Electric to unbundle a Maximum Demand account into 20 non-Maximum Demand accounts.
The order required the company to recognise 19 residential units and a service point owned by the complainant as separate customer units and to provide appropriate metering and connection.
“Ikeja Electric did not carry out that decision. Because of this failure, the complainant has been without an electricity supply for more than two and a half years.
“This was despite paying all charges requested by Ikeja Electric and meeting every obligation.
“The lack of electricity has prevented the complainant from putting the 19 residential units to use,” the commission stated.
The FCCPC said it had engaged Ikeja Electric multiple times and notified the company of the outstanding NERC directive.
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