AGF, IGP, Please Call DISCOS To Order, Avert Violence

 “FCCPC warns Ikeja, Eko Discos to halt meter replacement mid compliance concerns. – Report, November 14, 2024.

The story went on to say that “The Federal Com­petition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has issued a stern warn­ing to Ikeja and Eko Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) against plans to replace meters”. The FCCPC under Mr. Tunji Bello has become more proactive than at any time since its inception by the Babangida administration (who else?) by Act no 66 of 1992. But it had been dormant despite acts in 2004 and 2018 to give it the power to protect consumers. Those ap­pointed to head and manage its affairs have invariably taken the perks of office as their share of the national cake with very little to show for their tenures. Bello’s activist role must appear strange to the Civil servants who worked at the Commission for years. I knew one senior officer who re­ported to the office once a week. Bello’s stern warning to the two Discos underlines his courage in tackling untouchables. Bello and the Discos might not realise it, but they ignore his warnings at great peril to the lives of their field staff.

NERC COMPROMISED, CORRUPTED

“People’s indifference is the best breeding ground for corrup­tion to grow.” – Delia Ferreira, Chair, Transparency Internation­al.

The Nigerian National Elec­tricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, was formed in 2005 un­der President Obasanjo’s reform agenda. As has been the case with agencies of government created to serve the people’s interest, NERC very quickly became a get-rich-quick scam by those fortunate to be appointed to its Board and Man­agement. One of its former Chair­men (name known but withheld) was a perpetual Presidential can­didate. For someone not known to have established any multi-billion naira business enterprise, it spoke volumes that the NERC Chair would want to venture into a con­test where nobody with less than N30 billion to burn will try. Under him, trillions of naira were stolen by Discos from their victims-con­sumers without punishment from NERC.

Unfortunately for NERC and the Discos, those deliberately, re­peatedly and openly cheated soon­er or later eventually lose patience. A time comes when the victims say “Enough”, and sometimes vi­olence erupts. From our findings, Discos are on the verge of unleash­ing murderous violence on their staff without realising it. How can I be so sure? I am a customer to five (5) Discos nationwide; and a victim everywhere. Nigerian Distribution Companies repre­sent the largest establishment of legalised robbery in any country. They operate with the undisguised immunity granted them by NERC, as well as, oddly enough, the Ju­diciary and the Police. Let me ex­plain how the Attorney General of Nigeria, the Inspector General of Police and the Justices of Nigeri­an courts aid and promote grand larceny by the Discos.

HOW TWO WRONGS MAKE A RIGHT IN NIGERIA

Tunji Bello

Blaming the victims and punishing them has become the norm in Nigeria today – especial­ly where Discos are concerned. The Judiciary, the prosecutors, NERC and especially the Police, have colluded to treat consumers of electricity worse than slaves in this country. In every instance when cases reach the Police and the Courts, the other party is the defendant not the Disco staff. Two real cases would illustrate the in­justices perpetrated against vic­tims.

In 2014, I was appointed the General Secretary of an associ­ation with Secretariat at Ikeja. We moved in and met bills for several years amounting to over N1, 275,000. Interestingly enough, despite the fact that the building had been vacant for fifteen months before we moved in, bills kept be­ing sent as if it was fully occupied. The line had been disconnected. Our staff went to the Disco office; showed our tenancy agreement; that we were not responsible for the N1,275,000 accumulated bill; that the last tenant was legal­ly evicted 15 months before we moved in. Despite all the evidence, Ikeja Electricity Distribution staff insisted that we must deposit N600,000 before re-connection and repay the balance over 12 months. What is illegal extortion? I want any lawyer to tell me.

“But, this is daylight robbery”, said the person sent. A security staff asked him to leave. Before he could move two steps; the com­plainant was pushed by the Secu­rity staff; lost his balance and fell down. He promptly got up and took a swing at the fellow who pushed him. A full-blown fight might have occurred; but, cooler heads inter­vened. Next day, two police officers came to our office to arrest our staff for assaulting the Disco staff. In the police station, the officer in charge said that despite the push by the Security officer, which was not denied, and the extortion of money from our organisation for services not rendered, our staff should not have retaliated. The matter was eventually settled the Nigerian way. The question to the IGP and the Judiciary, in all these is: is justice being done to con­sumers caught in this situation? Is provocation not an offense?

The second case was just as bizarre – if not more so. Accord­ing to eye-witnesses, a disco staff coming down a ladder jumped from the third step and landed on a passer-by. Almost at the same time the two of them asked: “Are you blind?”

Within seconds, blows were exchanged. Just as quickly, dis­co staff was floored and kicked several times before the combat­ants were separated. The man walked away. Two days after the incident all the lines in the com­munity were disconnected. The man who allegedly “pulled down a ladder man” and injured him must be produced by the people. Otherwise, there will be no re-con­nection. Most of the customers were at work when the incident occurred. Close to 5,000 people, including those with prepaid me­ters, were affected. The eye-wit­nesses were less than 40. Yet, the absolute power wielded by a disco was punishing them for not pro­ducing a man unknown to them – and getting away with it. Even, the plea that the man does not live in the community fell on deaf ears. Again, this matter was settled the Nigerian way. The question again is: “was the staff of the disco not provoking violence by taking the law into their hands and punish­ing people who did no wrong? What would happen if one of the clients had got angry and punched one of them?”

WHY THIS WARNING?

“There is going to be hell in this town tonight.” Title of a song by a US singer.

The song went on to advise law-enforcement agencies to take note of provocations by some peo­ple abusing their legal powers in dealing with others; who were get­ting fed up. The song was released during the Great Depression of the 1930s when Americans faced the worst economic hardship in the nation’s history. Millions lost their means of livelihood; anger erupted into gang violence.

Nigeria is experiencing its worst economy since we became conscious of monitoring the situa­tion. Latent anger and resentment against organisations is building up. A disturbingly increasing number of desperate people with nothing to lose are on the loose. Yet, the most dangerous individu­al to fight is someone with nothing to lose. Discos run the risk of los­ing ladders, as well as, limbs and lives of their staff on account of provocation which people now find intolerable. The AGF and IGF should help everybody to diffuse the tension. There are no “crazy bills” only deliberately fraudulent bills submitted by discos for col­lection.

Follow me on Facebook @ J Israel Biola.