The Kebbi State branch office of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDCO) has accused the Nigeria Army Barracks in Birnin Kebbi of owing the company a significant amount of money. The company has also denied rumours that its Birnin Kebbi staff disconnected the army barracks, which sparked an assault by the Nigerian Army Dukku barracks in Birnin Kebbi on KAEDCO’s staff.

Speaking at a press conference, the Chief Regional Manager of KAEDCO in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara, Mr Sunday Yahya, stated that KAEDCO had never attempted to disconnect the army barracks in Kebbi state, despite the army owing the company a large sum of money. Yahya explained that the low power supply in the state was due to low allocation and poor remittance from consumers.

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He condemned those who were jubilating over the assault on KAEDCO’s staff, stressing that staff members could not work under hostile environments.

The regional manager thanked Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, for intervening in the matter to salvage the situation. He also confirmed that they were working towards a compromise, as the state government and the Special Adviser on Power, Alhaji Yusuf Haruna, were working on the expansion of the overloaded Gwadangaji feeder.

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) went on strike to protest the assault on KAEDCO’s staff in Birnin Kebbi, with the union insisting that its staff members could not work under a hostile environment. The KAEDCO branch office in Birnin Kebbi was allegedly invaded by soldiers from Dukku Barracks, who assaulted both staff and customers who came to pay their bills, alleging that the company had disconnected the barracks.