DisCos Cut Off Electricity Over N42 Billion Debt, COAS Reacts: “Corpses Rot in Army Mortuaries”
- COAS Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja has made a strong appeal to the minister of power, Adebayo Adelabu
- The Chief of Army Staff explained to the minister how the disconnection of electricity has affected various army barracks and cantonments
- Lagbaja lamented that the development had led to the decomposition of corpses in Army mortuaries, but Adelabu insisted the N42bn debt owed would be restructured and not written off
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
FCT, Abuja - The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, has appealed for the liquidation of the N42bn electricity debt of the Nigerian Army.
Source: Facebook
He made this appeal following the disconnection of various army barracks and cantonments by power distribution companies.
As reported by The Punch on Friday, February 23, Lagbaja revealed that the blackouts in barracks had led to the decomposition of corpses in army mortuaries, a development that had warranted protests by owners of the bodies.
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The Nigerian Army chief made the appeal when he visited the minister of power, Adebayo Adelabu, in Abuja.
After listening to his plea, Adelabu told Lagbaja that the debt would be restructured and not written off.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the media aide to the power minister, Bolaji Tunji, Lagbaja said the main reason for his visit was to discuss the consequences of the power outage in army formations and the way forward, Daily Trust reported.
He was quoted as saying:
“Debt owed is loaded on the meter, so no matter the amount of credit we put, the meters pick it automatically. Corpses in the Army mortuaries are decomposing and the owners of the corpses are protesting.”
According to the statement, “he (Lagbaja) further stated that the army couldn’t raise funds to pay the entire debt, as he solicited liquidation as was done in 2005 by the then President.”
Abuja Disco releases debt owed by CBN, others
Legit.ng reported earlier that the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) issued a disconnection notice to the Presidential Villa and 85 other ministries, departments, and agencies under the federal and state governments.
The AEDC published the disconnection notice in national dailies such as the Punch and ThisDay on Monday, February 19, 2024.
The DisCo stated that the total outstanding debt as of December 2023 amounted to N47.195 billion.
According to the directive, the indebted MDAs have been given a 10-day notice till February 28, 2024, to offset their bills or face disconnection.
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Source: Legit.ng
