Anambra: Okpoko community wins round 1 as Court orders EEDC to be served 14 day ultimatum
By Chinwe Nwacha, Onitsha
The Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra state capital and presided over by Hon. Justice M. B. Usman, Thursday ordered Okpoko community electricity consumers, Ogbaru Local Government area, Anambra state, to serve a 14-day ultimatum (Motion on notice) in a case of power outage by Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, and 10 others against Okpoko community
Giving the order in respect to an Exparte Motion by the plaintiffs, (Okpoko community) to the defendants, the judge said the Exparte Motion should be converted to Motion on Notice to enable the defendants reply to the claims and prayers of the plaintiffs.
Counsel to the plaintiffs, E.G. Ogbatalu, told newsmen outside the court hall that the court has fulfiled all righteousness, "I filed an Exparte application/ hearing notice for today which was served on the defendants so that the defendants can be here in court.
"So they are suppose to be in court but they are not here. We were given 14 days by the court to convert the Exparte Motion to Motion on Notice, which we have filed the motion on Notice today. The court has justified all righteousness by ruling that the defendants be served with Motion on Notice", he disclosed.
Those sued (respondents) include, EEDC, Engr. Onyebueke Nwokoroafor, ( business manager Ogbaru), Mr. Emeka, (feeder manager), Kingsley Chidebelu (marketer), Uchendu Ifeoma, Okonkwo C.S., Omenyi C.U., Amadi Jude, Okafor Obianuju, Agu Eucharia and Madu Elizabeth.
The plaintiffs were in court and they were, Chief, Hon. Dominic Ezebuenyi, Mr. Remigius Muoka, Chief Alphonsus Ufomba and Mr. Exe Fear God, (for themselves and residents of Onyebarachi, G-Muoka, Starlight Agulu, Nneogidi streets and some parts of Obodoukwu road, covering 96 customers of Akpirikpo 3 transformer feeder, Atani water works 11kv).
Recall that the plaintiffs prayed the court for cost of #10 million against the defendants jointly and severally as general and exemplary damages for breach of duty and loses in financial, health, and safety free security and general quality of life by the claimants.
Also for an order of the court directing the respondents to comply with the directives contained in the ruling of National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, with respect to reconnecting the claimants .
An order directing the respondents to forthwith reconnect the claimants electricity supply at Okpoko pending the determination of the substantive suit No/FHC/Awka/CS/11/2026.
An interim order of injunction restraining the defendants jointly and severally, from tampering or further disconnecting the electricity supply to the premises of 96 customers of EEDC at Okpoko represented by the claimants pending the determination of the substantive suit.
An order of court directing the respondents to comply with all court orders concerning the reconnection of Electricity to the claimants premises at Okpoko upon being served with the court's order.
The first plaintiff, Chief Hon. Dominic Ezebuenyi, has in his affidavit stated that they have severally protested the outrageous and unreasonable estimated handbills beyond the energy they consumed, including but not limited to damages and stealing of their various 16mm recline cables in the guise of disconnection which the defendants intentionally ignored the claimants.
He said also that the defendants fraudulently over billed the claimants from 2020 till date and has brutantly refused to adjust the bill of claimants as contained in the NERC ruling of 2025.
The Judge adjourned the case to 26 March 2026 to enable the plaintiffs serve the defendants.
