A customer sues the electricity company and demands compensation of 50 million naira

An aggrieved customer has sued the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) at the Kogi State High Court in Lokoja, demanding N50 million in general damages for alleged incorrect billing.

The plaintiff, Ugochukwu Orakwue, a resident of Kogi State, in the suit filed before Justice Nicodemus Auwalu, alleged that the AEDC deliberately refused to read his postpaid meter to bill him and instead imposes outrageous estimated bills on him.

Mr Orakwue prayed the court to restrain the accused from issuing him electricity bills based on an estimate but based on the actual reading of his postpaid meter.

He prayed the court to declare that the act of the accused in issuing him electricity bills based on an estimate rather than the actual reading of his postpaid electricity meter contravenes the regulations of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and is therefore illegal, null and void.

Other sentences include: “A declaration that all electricity bills issued to the claimant by the AEDC based on the estimate from the 19 bill” dated October 19, 2015, being an exercise or action based on illegality, They are null, void and of no effect. legal effect or consequence.

“A declaration that the AEDC’s action in concealing information about the complainant’s status as a metered customer by intentionally refusing to insert his meter number on his electricity bills contravenes NERC regulation and is therefore illegal, null and void.

“Declare that the act of the defendant of disconnecting the electricity supply of the claimant for non-payment in less than ten (10) days from the date of the invoice, without issuing a notice of disconnection to the claimant even though the suit filed by him against the invoices remains unresolved and contravened NERC regulations and therefore illegal, null and void.

“A declaration that the plaintiff is entitled to be reimbursed the sum of N25,000 and the reconnection fee of three thousand naira (3,000 naira) coercively collected from him by the defendant on July 28, 2023 prior to the reconnection of his supply of electricity illegally or illegally disconnected by the defendant.”

Mr. Orakwue also sought an order compelling the respondent to refund him the sum of N28,000, which is the amount coercively collected from him by the respondent on July 28, 2023 before the reconnection of his electricity supply.

He sought to be paid the sum of N30 million as exemplary/punitive damages for the accused’s punishable conduct.

The plaintiff also sought the sum of N20 million as general damages for the harm the defendant caused to the plaintiff.

When the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, AEDC lawyer GD Dubai told the court that the defendant was in talks with the plaintiff to reach an out-of-court settlement.

“My Lord, we have initiated discussions with the complainant and most of the issues raised have been forwarded to the headquarters management in Abuja for approval.

“We will request a date to inform Your Honor of the outcome of our out-of-court settlement,” Mr. Dubai pleaded.

Mr Orakwue, who does not have a lawyer representing him, did not oppose the application but confirmed that it was the true situation.

Then, the judge adjourned the case until February 22 for an agreement report and/or continuation of the hearing.

(YAYA)