Bodies in the mortuaries at several Nigerian Army barracks are decaying due to a lack of electricity. Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, revealed this during his visit to Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, seeking assistance.
It should be noted that the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) had issued a 10-day notice to 83 MDAs in its jurisdiction, demanding the payment of their N47.1 billion debt or face disconnection.
Among the debtors was Aso Rock, but President Bola Tinubu swiftly intervened after the notice was issued, directing that the debt be settled.
In his meeting with the minister, Lagbaja expressed regret that some barracks and military stations have been without electricity since January.
Lagbaja further explained that it was unrealistic for the Army to raise the entire sum to clear the debt and requested for a solution similar to the one employed in 2005 by the then President.
He assured the Minister of the Army’s unwavering support in developing strategies to combat the vandalism of electricity infrastructure.
In response, Adelabu assured the Nigerian Army of his willingness to engage in discussions with the Distribution Companies (DisCos) to find a resolution to the issue.
According to Bolaji Tunji, the Special Adviser on Strategic Communication and Media Relations to the minister, Adelabu emphasized the significance of liquidity and funding in the sector. He stated that if the debts could not be waived, he would consider intervening to restructure the payment plan if there was a guarantee of regular payments by the Nigerian Army.
