The Ajegunle Peoples Movement (APM) in Lagos has condemned alleged fraudulent electricity billing methods by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company in Ajegunle-Apapa Community.
The group, in a statement signed by APM’s Coordinators, Prince Adeniran Adeniji, Emeka Bosah, and Comrade Babatunde Yusuf, the Secretary, condemned the introduction of ‘undefined bills’ and the long-standing ‘estimated electricity bills’ by Eko-DisCo, reports Daily Independent.
It stated: “We, the communities within Ajegunle and Apapa, Lagos State, under the aegis of Ajegunle Peoples Movement (APM) strongly condemn the distribution of a recently introduced ‘undefined bills’ and the long-standing ‘estimated electricity bills’ by EKO-DISCO.
It also flayed the use of police operatives to intimidate, arrest, and detain electricity consumers in a bid to force payment of these fraudulent bills and charges.
The group stressed: “These exploitative practices have continued despite the community’s strong rejection and resistance, expressed through a series of organised protests and formal petition letters to Eko-DisCo management.
“As if that is not enough, most communities under load shedding are forced to endure a ‘one day on, one day off’ power supply and segregated to the lowest ‘B and E’, are still being outrageously billed, without any regard for the fact that they receive less than 15 days of electricity supply in a month.
“This is nothing short of criminal, and even the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has recognised these abuses, issuing several sanctions against EKO-DisCo and other Discos nationwide for the systemic overbilling of consumers.
“The repeated sanctions issued by NERC are based on clear, empirical evidence of deliberate exploitation of electricity consumers.
“These penalties should have compelled Eko-DisCo to compensate or refund all affected customers—amounting to trillions of naira looted from the working class and poor masses over the years.”
The APM maintained that this fraudulent overbilling had devastated many small businesses and forced residents to live without power for years, simply because they cannot afford the unjustified charges.
This, it added, was worsened by an additional illegal billing line introduced in August last year, which was not tied to any specific customer account.
It stated: “Instead of complying in a transparent and honest manner, Eko-DisCo has introduced a deceptive credit refund scheme, while at the same time unleashing new, vague, and unexplained multiple bills.
“This dishonest approach is clearly designed to mislead NERC and deceive the public into thinking genuine refunds are being made in response to regulatory sanctions.
“Despite NERC’s public reports and press releases confirming these exploitative practices and sanctions, Eko-DisCo’s profiteering continues unchecked.
“Communities under Eko-DisCo’s jurisdiction have staged numerous protests and filed petitions, growing increasingly frustrated with the company’s profit-first, anti-people agenda.
“In response, the Ajegunle Peoples Movement (APM) is calling on all electricity consumers, civil society organisations, and labour unions to mobilise and organise a day of mass action to resist this blatant exploitation.
“We also demand that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LSERC) and the Lagos State House of Assembly conduct a full investigation, impose sanctions, and compel EKO-DisCo to refund every kobo fraudulently taken from consumers.
“In conclusion, the fraudulent, undefined multiple bills must be immediately withdrawn and the fraudulent overbilling, backed by the militarised intimidation of poor and working-class electricity consumers, must end.
“Access to electricity is a right, not a privilege. The working masses cannot continue to pay for electricity they do not consume, while living under constant threats from police and Eko-DisCo agents.
“We collectively say no to ‘Undefined Multiple Bills’ and Outrageous Estimated Charges. We call on NERC, FCCPC, Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission and Lagos State House of Assembly to sanction EKO-DISCO for Exploiting Consumers.
“We demand justice, transparency, and the immediate nationalisation of the power sector under democratic workers’ control.”
