Electricity firm fumes as Imo govt demolishes EEDC office

There was outrage on Wednesday in Imo State when officials of the Imo State Government demolished an office of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC)

The demolished office was the EEDC’s District Headquarters in Orlu Local Government Area of the state.

EEDC is the power distribution company in charge of electricity supply in south-east Nigeria.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the electricity company could not retrieve any equipment or property because its staffers were allegedly denied access to the facility and arrested by some security agencies.

The EEDC spokesperson, Emeka Ezeh, in a statement on Wednesday, said an excavator deployed by the state government demolished the structure without prior notice or explanation.

“In an attempt to resist the action and enquire what necessitated the sudden demolition, the district business manager, and one of the operations staff, were assaulted and whisked away to Owerri by a special security squad known as ‘Tiger Base,’” Mr Ezeh said.

The EEDC spokesperson said the demolition was carried out under the supervision of the Chairperson of Orlu Local Government Area, Chris Mbaeri.

“We request the Imo State Government to explain why an office we have occupied for over two decades is suddenly being demolished in this manner,” he stated.

Imo govt speaks

When contacted on Thursday morning, the Commissioner of Information in Imo State, Declan Emelumba, confirmed the demolition of the EEDC office to PREMIUM TIMES.

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Mr Emelumba, however, claimed that the electricity company was duly notified “long ago” ahead of the demolition.

“And (Imo State) government officials also spoke to them (EEDC) that the state government wants to use the space for a project and that they should move (to another location) because they will be provided with another place and that they will compensate them,” he said.

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PREMIUM TIMES asked the commissioner if an alternative place had been provided as promised.

“We said we will provide. I wouldn’t know whether an alternative place had been provided, but we promised before the demolition to provide an alternative site,” he responded.

Mr Emelumba also refuted claims that two EEDC officials were arrested by the security operatives who guarded the demolition.

“Nobody was arrested,” he insisted.