Armed personnel from the Air Force Base in Ikeja, Lagos, assaulted PUNCH correspondent Dare Olawin on Thursday after storming the headquarters of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (Ikeja Electric).
The attack took place around 7:40 a.m. at the DisCo’s office opposite MITV, Ikeja. Journalists had gathered there before heading to Adiyan, Ogun State, for the unveiling of a solar project.
Upon spotting Olawin, a TVC cameraman, and another reporter inside a coaster bus, the military personnel forcefully removed them, beat them, and made them sit on the floor. The journalist’s Android phone, an Itel phone, and a power bank were confiscated. The attackers also threatened to shoot him if he spoke.
Led by a female officer, the Air Force personnel occupied the Ikeja Electric office for over an hour and a half, assaulting staff and others present. They blocked surrounding roads, restricting movement and creating an opportunity to intimidate those on the premises.
Sources revealed that the attack was retaliation for the disconnection of the military base from the power grid. Before leaving, the Air Force personnel took engineers and drivers from the office, intending to force them to restore electricity to the barracks.