Isoko Comedy Saga: Power Company Claims Wrongful Accusation, Details Project Delays

OZORO, DELTA STATE – Income Electrix Ltd., a power company embroiled in a controversy over the arrest of comedian Ajiri-Oghene Otagba (MC2 Kingdom Comedy), has issued a statement vehemently denying responsibility for the arrest and detailing years of alleged bureaucratic delays in a major Isoko power project.

The statement, issued by the company’s media team, responds to public outrage following Otagba’s arrest, attributing the initial negative reaction to a lack of awareness about the project’s complex history and pre-existing frustrations with development issues in the Isoko Nation.

Income Electrix claims that the 1x30MVA, 132/33KV Transmission Substation in Ozoro project, at the heart of the dispute, has been significantly delayed due to initial government inaction, a four-year struggle to secure state budgetary allocation, and protracted negotiations to transfer the project from the Delta State Government to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The company attributes NDDC involvement to the efforts of key political figures such as former NDDC officials and Senators James Manager and Joel-Onowakpor Thomas.

The company claims that, despite completing 70% of the Ozoro substation by 2017, further progress was hampered by vandalism and the failure of another contractor, News Engineering Limited, to complete a critical connecting transmission line.

Income Electrix claims it worked for two years to facilitate the transfer of the line project to the NDDC, which further delayed the overall project.

They describe their ongoing efforts to secure funding from the NDDC, which include direct appeals to NDDC management and President Buhari.

According to Income Electrix, Otagba’s initial video accusing the company of abandoning the project was created out of ignorance.

The company claims to have provided the comedian with detailed updates on the project’s status, after which Otagba initially admitted his mistake.

However, after the company refused to pay him, Otagba posted a second, more damaging video, prompting Income Electrix to file a cyberbullying complaint with the police and take civil action.

The company insists that it did not order or carry out Otagba’s arrest, claiming that it was the result of a police investigation into their cyber-harassment complaint. They claim Otagba has since issued a retraction.

Income Electrix emphasises its long history of development work in Isoko, citing the significant role its MD, Matthew Edevbie, played in previous electrification projects in the region.

The company denies accusations of persecuting a young Isoko man, instead portraying itself as a victim of reputational harm caused by a misguided individual.

While acknowledging Senator Joel-Onowakpor Thomas’ efforts to resolve the issue, Income Electrix clarifies that the Senator’s public statement, which appears to blame the company for project delays, does not provide a complete picture of the long-running bureaucratic struggles.

They reiterate their commitment to completing the project while exploring legal options to protect their reputation.