Power outage affects courts in Badagry

Court proceedings at the Lagos state high and magistrate’s courts in Badagry have been marred by power outage.

According to NAN, the lack of electricity have plunged the court rooms and offices into darkness since June 1.

Judges and magistrates are said to be conducting proceedings with doors and windows to the courtrooms open in order to brighten the courtroom and aid ventilation.

Hand fans and handkerchiefs were reportedly used as replacement for electric fans by those who witness the proceedings in the courts.

A member of staff in one of the courts was quoted as saying since the new government took over, the allocation to buy diesel to fuel generators for electricity supply had stopped.

The source, who preferred anonymity, said since the funds for purchase of diesel stopped, the court resorted to the use of inverter, which later stopped working.

“For the past 23 days, there has been no power supply and the money to buy diesel that used to come from Ikeja has stopped,” the source said.

“At first we were relying on inverters, but that too has stopped and since then the court has been operating in darkness. Most of the magistrates and judges in the courts are conducting proceedings in darkness.

“Most staff of the courts do not stay in offices due to the heat. They now spend time at a restaurant known as Court 7, which is opposite the court premises. The outage is really affecting proceedings and government should provide money to buy diesel because there is no power supply from Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).”

Tunji Adams, a lawyer, appealed to the government of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to act urgently.

“We do not know if the person in charge of diesel money has refused to send the fund down here,” he said.

“I am imploring the government of Lagos State, to as a matter of urgency, do something.”

Godwin Idemudia, general manager, corporate communications, EKEDC, said the power outage in the area is because the feeder supplying power to the town is grossly overloaded with transformers in Agbara, an industrial area.