The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, has made a plea to address the pressing issue of the N42 billion electricity debt owed by the Nigerian Army. This appeal comes following the disconnection of several Army barracks and cantonments by power distribution companies due to outstanding payments.

During his visit to the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Lagbaja highlighted the significant challenges posed by the power outages in Army installations. He specifically pointed out the distressing situation of decomposing corpses in Army mortuaries, which has led to protests from the families of the deceased.

Lagbaja emphasized that the accumulating debt has severely impacted the Army’s operations, with some barracks and cantonments experiencing complete blackout since January. Despite efforts to provide electricity through prepaid meters, the debt continues to mount automatically, hindering their ability to function effectively.

Drawing parallels with a similar debt resolution in 2005, Lagbaja appealed for a comparable solution to address the current situation.

Additionally, Lagbaja underscored the security risks posed by the blackouts in Army facilities and reiterated the Army’s commitment to combating electricity infrastructure vandalism.

In response, Minister Adelabu assured the Nigerian Army of his willingness to engage in discussions with power distribution companies to restructure the debt. While clarifying that the debt cannot be written off, he pledged to intervene and restructure the payment plan provided there is a commitment from the Army to make regular payments.

This dialogue highlights the urgent need to address the electricity debt issue to ensure uninterrupted power supply to Army facilities, while also considering the financial viability of power distribution companies.