In a situation resembling a back-and-forth standoff, the management of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (Kaduna Electric) has disconnected power to the Kaduna State Government House and other state government offices over unpaid bills totaling N2.9 billion.
This action comes after the Kaduna Internal Revenue Service sealed Kaduna Electric’s headquarters earlier on Friday due to unpaid taxes amounting to over N600 million.
Jerry Adams, the Executive Chairman of the service, led the operation and stated that the service had obtained a court order to close and take over the company’s property until all outstanding taxes were paid.
In response, Kaduna Electric disconnected the power supply to the state government’s facilities. AbdulAzeez Abdullahi, a spokesman for the distribution company, explained on Friday that Kaduna Electric had made multiple efforts to resolve the issue, including consultations with state government officials, before issuing a disconnection notice on July 21.
He emphasized that the decision to cut off power was a last resort after exhausting all other avenues to resolve the payment issue. Despite a recent payment of N256,920,963.88 on May 9, 2024, covering electricity consumed from September to December 2023, the state government’s debt remains significantly high.
“This payment, although substantial, has not been sufficient to clear the accumulated arrears,” Abdullahi noted, highlighting the financial challenges facing the company and the broader electricity sector.