Lagos Landlord Arraigned Over Alleged Attack on Ikeja Electric Workers
A 55-year-old landlord, Ebodi Francis, has been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate Court over an alleged attack on two officials of Ikeja Electric during a disconnection exercise in Aboru, Lagos State.
Francis was brought before Magistrate L. A. Owolabi on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obstruction of public officials and assault. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The case, filed as *Commissioner of Police vs Ebodi Francis*, followed his arrest by police officers from the Ota-Odo Division. The prosecution was handled by SP Josephine Iykayare.
According to the charge sheet signed by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Ajayi Adebayo, the incident occurred on September 30, 2026, at about 3 p.m. at No. 22, Olaomotoye Street, Aboru.
The police alleged that Francis, alongside other suspects who are still at large, conspired to obstruct and assault two Ikeja Electric employees, Rasheed Odebunmi and Emmanuel Enyinnaya, while they were carrying out their official duties.
The prosecution told the court that the electricity officials had visited the premises to disconnect power supply over an alleged illegal reconnection.
However, residents of the community gave a different account of what led to the confrontation, claiming that Aboru had experienced persistent poor electricity supply despite receiving electricity bills.
According to some residents, the decision to disconnect power in an area where electricity supply was already unreliable angered people in the neighbourhood.
“We don’t get electricity supply in this area, yet they came to disconnect the light. That is what angered people,” a resident said.
The police further alleged in the second count that Francis and others unlawfully resisted the officials by assaulting them and spraying tear gas at them.
In the third count, the defendant was accused of causing stones to be thrown at Odebunmi, leaving him with serious head injuries.
A similar allegation was made in the fourth count, with the police claiming that Enyinnaya also sustained head injuries after stones were allegedly thrown during the confrontation.
The charges were brought under Sections 411, 117(2) and 173 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
Following his not-guilty plea, defence counsel applied for bail on liberal terms, arguing that the defendant was a family man with a fixed residential address and would not abscond or interfere with the proceedings.
Magistrate Owolabi granted Francis bail with two sureties, directing that both must provide evidence of their means of livelihood and proof of tax payment.
The court, however, ordered that the defendant remain in a correctional centre pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.
The incident has drawn attention to the longstanding electricity complaints in Aboru, where residents say irregular supply and billing concerns have continued to generate frustration.
Some residents explained that electricity is essential to their daily activities, including running small businesses, charging mobile phones, preserving food and providing lighting for children to study at night.
They said landlords often face complaints from tenants whenever electricity supply is disconnected, particularly in communities where residents believe they are not receiving adequate service.
Meanwhile, the two Ikeja Electric officials were reportedly injured during the confrontation and subsequently sought medical attention.
Community leaders have appealed for calm, urging residents and landlords to avoid taking the law into their hands during electricity disconnection exercises. They also called on Ikeja Electric to address complaints about poor supply and billing in the area.
Police sources said investigations were ongoing to apprehend other suspects allegedly involved in the incident.
Francis remains presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The matter has been adjourned for further hearing.
