A legal practitioner, Barrister Ariyo Adeyemi, of Oasis Chambers in Okene, Kogi state has condemned in totality the conduct of the Area Manager of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) Okene Mr John Suleiman for allegedly inviting Armed Military men to Adavi Police station to hijack and frustrate Police investigation over an illegal disconnection meted to two of his claimants in Adavi local government area.
Ariyo further stated that the trio of John Suleiman, Monday Tijani and Abu Abdulrahman, have, based on their conducts committed contempt of court, saying there was a pending court proceeding at the High Court of Justice, Kogi state with suite number KGS/IH/08/2018 holding at Ihima in Okehi local government area.
Oasis Chambers are solicitors to the Blacksmiths, Welders and Iron Benders Association of Nigeria in Adavi, Okene and Okehi branches of the association.
The legal practitioner in a letter titled “Unlawful /illegal disconnection of power supply, criminal trespass, attempt to incite and disturb public peace and contempt of court” addressed to the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Adavi and copies made available to newsmen in Lokoja on Monday..
The complaint letter, said one Monday Tijani and Abu Abdulrahman both staff of Abuja Electricity and Distribution Company Plc, acting on the instructions of the Area Manager criminally trespassed into the premises of two of his clients at Okunchi in Adavi local government area and carried out illegal disconnection of power supply at the premises without serving them the mandatory disconnection permit/notice as spelt out by the Nigeria Electricity law.
According to him, “It is apparently cleared that ‘our clients’ were not serve the mandatory disconnection permits/ notice before the duo of Monday Tijani and Abu Abdulrahman proceeded to forcefully, unlawfully and illegally disconnected their premises from power supply.
“By the provision of the Nigeria Electricity Law, the AEDC are expected in law to serve on each of our clients a disconnection permit/notice which shall last for 14 days, before any of their staff can lawfully enter into any of our clients’ premises before disconnecting power supply for whatever reasons”
Expressing dissatisfaction over the behaviour of the Area Manager Okene for attempting to incite disturbance of public peace , Barrister Ariyo noted that the actions could have resulted into a serious fracas between the men of the Nigeria Army and the police officers on duty at Adavi Divisional Police.
“We submit that it amounts to abuse of office for John Suleiman to bring Armed Military men to the Adavi station over a matter that the police has exclusive jurisdiction over.
“The very idea of involving Armed Military men in respect of a simple crime is most unfortunate and condemnable,” he said.
