Esiegbuya petitions AIG Zone 5 over alleged threat to life, unlawful disconnection of power supply

A property owner in Ubeji, Warri in Delta State, Mr. Samuel Esiegbuya, has petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone, 5 Police Headquarters, Benin City, Edo State, over alleged threat to his life, conspiracy and unlawful disconnection of power supply from an electric utility pole close to his house, by a certain Light Committee Executive (Ubeji Satellite Community) purportedly led by one Mr. Godwin Ikomi.

In the petition dated March 13, 2023, Mr. Esiegbuya, who copied his Counsel, J. Unurhoro & Co, requested the AIG to immediately deploy Men and Officers from the Zone 5, Police Headquarters to wade in and forestall unnecessary violence and rancour.

A copy of the petition sent to Fresh Angle International, today, Wednesday March 15, explained: “I am writing to draw your attention to the above-mentioned subject matter of one Mr. Godwin Ikomi and his team of penchant lawless men, parading themselves in my area (Ubeji Satellite Community) in Warri, Delta State as Light Committee Executive and taking laws into their own hands, by oppressing and extorting people for no culpable reason or cause than exploitations.

“On the 6th March 2023 and at about 8:10pm, some persons in my area. who termed themselves as light Committee members, came to my premises and disconnected my Electricity Supply Armond Cable and thereby subjecting me and my tenants in total darkness and other damages as a result of their act and while the whole drama was ongoing, my attention was drawn to the matter at that night and I came out of my apartment and enquired the motives behind such an illegal disconnection at such night and I was reliably told by them that the exercise was an instruction and instigation of their Chairman, Mr. Godwin Ikomi and to avoid affront with the law, I decided to point my torchlight at the face of the particular person on top of the wooden step ladder and used my camera phone to Snapshot before going to bed that night, without further challenging them.

“Sir, Kindly find attached a copy of the said picture snapped that night of the incident for your examination and possible action and as marked Exhibit-A, please.

“Consequently, the next day, 7th March of the incident at about 8:00am, I came out of my premises to access properly the disconnection and again Snapshot the Armond cable that was abruptly disconnected for clarity.

“Sir, kindly find attached a copy of the picture showing clearly that the Electricity Supply Cable to my premises was de-energized for your examination and probable action and as Marked Exhibit-B, please.

“However, due to the said incident, I and my tenants are still experiencing total blackout even till this moment of writing, while our estimated billings is still running and accumulating everyday, without having the light for use as a result of the illegal disconnection by the said persons. Although I wrote a protest letter dated 7th March 2023 and addressed to Mr. Godwin Ikomi and demanding for reconnection or restoration of the light with an apologies to me and my tenants for subjecting us to total darkness for days now, without reason or cause even when every other adjourned properties in the area, including the Chairman himself are using and enjoying uninterrupted power supply (light) but behold till this moment of bringing this matter to your attention, nothing absolutely has been done to reconnect an/ or extend an apologies for their misdeed and callousness.

“Sir, kindly find attached of the said letter dated 7th March 2023 addressed to Mr. Godwin Ikomi for your perusal, and as Marked Exhibit-C, please

“I recall vividly that sometimes around the Month of February 2023, the so called Chairman, Mr. Godwin Ikomi, did a WhatsApp call to me and informed that the sum of (N1,750,000) only was borrowed for the repairs of electrical faults within the region of the BEDC' Transformer located in the area, which we depend on and in that stratum, I told him that such project ought to be the sole responsibility of the BEDC by law and also pointed to him the National Electricity Regulatory Commission' (NERC) which states clearly, Supra:

“(It is not the responsibility of Electricity Customer or Community to buy, replace or repair electricity transformers, poles and related equipment used in the supply of electricity.)

“Albeit, I told him during the telephone conversation also to either write to us in order to prove that such demand from him was not to extort us and that else we will not comply an/or give consent to such an exploitative, illegal and evaporative project and indeed he didn't write any letter or formal request for the money as demanded and afterwards some Landlords and stakeholders in the same area approached and appeal to me for the support and due to pressure and to avoid communal crisis, I decided to pay the sum of (N13,000) via Mr. Joseph Otuedon’s Bank Account with details.

“Kindly find attached a printout copy of the sum of (N13,000) with additional (N1,000) service charge paid and dated 20th February 2023 as Marked Exhibit-D before the light was again disconnected while we remain in total perpetual black-out till now.

“Sir, In view of the aforementioned, It turn out that the so called Chairman, Mr. Godwin Ikomi and his conspired team of lawless men, are in the habit of oppressing and extorting innocent people of their hard earned money in the said Satellite Community by illegally imposing frivolous, fictitious and shenanigan levies on the innocent citizens of the place without allowing BEDC for its own responsibility and also by wilding an/or arrogating powers ultra vies to themselves and tormenting people including myself and tenants living in my own property and more so, this said persons who had tempered or disconnected my Electricity Supply Cable which was at a time legally connected by BEDC and which firm we are only an/ or obligatory to its services with respect to monthly estimated payments of electricity billings and at this juncture, if this outlaw co conspirators under Mr. Godwin Ikomi perpetrating this offenses against humans are not timely investigated and called to order they will continue to migrate and act more stupidly and fermenting troubles that will lead to breach of peace and disorderliness in the area.

“I hope that you will as a matter of urgency deploy Men and Officers from your zonal headquarters to wade into this critical and life-threatening issue to conduct a more thorough and dispassionate investigation as regards to my distressed call and complaint to forestall unnecessary violence and rancour, Please.”

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