In a major legal victory for electricity consumers, the High Court of Imo State sitting in Owerri today delivered judgment in Suit No: HOW/1169/2021 — Dr. Nnamdi Iwu v. Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) & Anor., awarding the Plaintiff, Dr. Nnamdi Iwu, the sum of ₦3 million in damages.
The presiding judge, Hon. Justice L.C. Azuama, found the Defendants liable for negligence and extortion, condemning the EEDC’s conduct as unlawful and exploitative.
According to facts presented before the court, Dr. Iwu had, after months of inaction by EEDC, personally replaced a dangerously dilapidated electricity pole supplying power to his residence. Despite this private intervention, when he invited EEDC officials to simply transfer the wires from the faulty pole to the new one, they refused to do so unless he paid them money. His refusal to submit to this demand led to a prolonged power outage, prompting him to seek legal redress.
In delivering judgment, Justice Azuama held that EEDC’s failure to act, coupled with their attempt to extort the Plaintiff before carrying out their public duty, amounted to actionable negligence and abuse of power. The court awarded ₦3 million in general damages to the Plaintiff for the hardship and loss suffered.
Legal practitioners have described the decision as a watershed moment in consumer protection litigation, especially within the power sector, where complaints of extortion, neglect, and poor service are rampant.
Dr. Iwu’s decision to resist illegal demands and pursue justice through the courts has been hailed as bold and exemplary. Commentators say the judgment reaffirms the principle that public utility providers are not above the law and must discharge their duties without harassing or extorting citizens.
This judgment may now pave the way for similarly aggrieved electricity consumers across the region to assert their rights through lawful means.
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