Vigeo Power Limited, the majority shareholder in BEDC Electricity Plc (BEDC), has alerted the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, to an alleged plot to trick soldiers into aiding the takeover of the company’s management.
The firm made the allegation in an August 24 petition to the CDS through its counsel, Mr. Kunle Adegoke (SAN), of Kunle Adegoke & Co.
It prayed the CDS to intervene and ensure that “no officer of the illustrious Nigerian Army shall dabble into this matter in order to hijack the management and business of BEDC Electricity Plc.”
Adegoke said Vigeo Power was aware of the alleged plan to “illegally procure the services of officers of your noble and illustrious organisation to take over the management and affairs of BEDC Electricity, Benin City, Edo State, notwithstanding the extant orders of the Federal High Court restraining against such”.
The petition alleged that some individuals were plotting to take over the management and effect an illegal change of directors on the board of BEDC.
It added that having already “failed to continue enjoying such illegal protection from the Nigerian Police Force,” the persons had “resorted to deceiving officers of your distinguished office to engage in this criminal and illegal activity”.
The petition, referenced its suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, is challenging the purported takeover of the board of BEDC.
It alleged that the court had “granted an interim injunction which, inter alia, restrains Mr. Henry Ajagbawa, Fidelity Bank Plc, NERC, Corporate Affairs Commission” and persons purportedly appointed by BPE to the board of BEDC from working in concert with anybody to alter the board’s composition of BEDC.
According to the petition, the injunction also restrained the persons so appointed “from parading themselves as directors of BEDC or taking over the management and control of the affairs, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice, dated August 7, 2022”.
“The matter is pending and the matter is coming up on October 5, 2022 for hearing of pending Motion on Notice and other applications,” it added.