Since the adjournment of the case filed against the Eko Electrical Distribution Company (EKEDC) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) over outrageous electricity bills, residents of Itire-Ikate in Surulere and Mushin communities of Lagos State have resolved to see the matter through.
The residents, were present at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, for the hearing on Thursday, June 4, 2015. They said that although the accused electricity agencies hired a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to defend them, they (the residents) were not intimidated and remained determined to get justice.
A community leader, Mr. Azeem Owe, speaking at the court premises, said:
“That they brought a SAN doesn’t scare us. We will not give up because we have been patient for so long, and we have been in darkness without power for many years. We will get justice at last.”
According to Owe, “For you to hire a SAN, you will pay several millions of naira. That millions can get hundreds of pre-paid meters. They are trying to make things difficult, but I know we are going to triumph in the end.”
The community is also seeking redress for the non-reading of electricity consumption meters, adjustment of previous unused consumption balance (during a period of road construction) and inadequate or no power supply for quite a long time.
The counsel to the plaintiff, Marcus Eyarhomo, said: “We were expecting the defence of the defendants before now, but unfortunately, none of them has filed any defence ”
He said that the counsel for the first defendant had informed the court that their processes were being filed at the registry.
According to the second lawyer to the plaintiffs, Odubanjo Solomon“We are still expecting them to serve us then we will know what and how to respond.”
The case has been adjourned till October 7, 2015 due to the court being on vacation between July and September.
