The Guardian (Nigeria)

Ajao, Mafoluku communitie­s lament week- long blackout

• IKEDC keeps mum as workers use hand fans

- By Eniola Daniel

RESIDENTS of Ajao Estate and environs, Lagos have lamented week- long blackout in the area, a critical location near the Murtala Mohammed Internatio­nal Airport ( MMIA), Lagos.

They also lamented that the Ikeja Electricit­y Distributi­on Company ( IKEDC) is slow in resolving the issue.

The blackout was allegedly caused by vandalisat­ion of a 33kv undergroun­d cable feeding Ajao estate, which occurred twice within a week.

A resident said: “Members of the Oodu Peoples Congress ( OPC), arrested a driver, who allegedly vandalised the cable, but we have not heard anything ever since.

“I have spent a lot on fuel to keep my food preserved. We are just begging them to fix the light.”

When The Guardian visited Ajao undertakin­g at 28, Stella Sholanke, Ajao Estate,

Lagos, yesterday, officials were seen using hand fans due to keep cool as a result of high temperatur­e; and there was no business taking place at the office.

One of the officials at the office told The Guardian: “I just resumed office and I don’t know how long the outage has lasted. I am not authourise­d to speak on it. So, I can’t say anything.”

The Guardian was directed to Business Manager of

IKEDC, Oshodi Unit, Taofeek Basayan for comment.

When The Guardian reached out to Basanyan, he neither picked his calls nor responded to text messages sent to his phone.

Contacted , an official of Lagos Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC), said no vandalism incident was reported at their office.

He urged residents and corporate organisati­ons to report such incidents to the corps for prompt action.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Nigeria