Sequel to the threat on his life allegedly by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) for confronting the distribution company over outrageous billings to electricity consumers, the Chairman of the Ado Ekiti Residents’ Consumers Association (ARCA), Dr. Ibukun Ogundipe, has petitioned security agencies, calling for their interventions in the lingering crisis.
Ogundipe, who had led several protests against BEDC for allegedly imposing what he called “frivolous and outrageous bills on the residents”, urged the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bello Ahmed, and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Precious Ihenacho to wade in and prevent those plotting to kill him from realizing their mission.
In the petition dated November 12, 2018 and addressed to the security chiefs, the ARCA chairman pleaded with the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to investigate those that are after his life and also provide security cover for him and members of his family.
In the petition, Ogundipe explained how a letter from an anonymous source, dropped at the gate of his residence at Awedele, Ado Ekiti on November 9, 2018, warned him to be wary of the BEDC on the premise that they were already gathering information about how to deal with him.
The petition read: “I have been leading this registered association to take some lawful actions to checkmate the outrageous and excessive bills which the BEDC serves on the people every month.
“These action no doubt did not go down well with BEDC. It is expedient to note that the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had set guidelines for discos not to charge houses on R2 and C1 categories beyond N3,100 and N3,600 respectively on monthly basis as against N12,000 being paid and my people have been following this template set by NERC.
“I have been the motivating factor behind the association’s hitherto actions against frivolous bills by BEDC. This may be a reason for why BEDC would want to eliminate me.
“I hereby plead that you institute investigations to nab those behind these premeditated criminal assault and also provide me with security to prevent these wicked folks from realizing their mission”, he said.
Also addressing newsmen on the issue, the school administrator said the fight against arbitrary billing was not a personal issue between him and the BEDC, but was done to prevent unnecessary cheating of Nigerians.
Ogundipe added that the association, which was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with number CAC/TT/113270, was formed to protect Ekiti consumers from being cheated and that nothing will prevent them from achieving the task.
“After holding the March 25, 2018 public protest, the BEDC reported me to Ewi of Ado Ekiti that I wrote a petition to NHRC to indict them on how they have been infringing on our rights, but they later found this untrue.
“The DSS also met with our executive and BEDC on November 9, 2018 to mediate on this issue and the second day , they came to drop this threat letter in my house as a threat”, he said.
Responding to the claims, the BEDC Public Relations Officer, Mr. Kayode Brown, said the company is a responsible one and won’t descend to the arena of threat in dealing with an issue that had been resolved by the DSS.
“We are licensed to operate in Nigeria and if we have any problem with anybody, Dr. Ogundipe inclusive, we will handle it legally using security agencies and court of law.
“We were not responsible for this threat and I want to say that Dr. Ogundipe should look elsewhere rather than BEDC for those hiding under this situation to threaten him,” he said.
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