South Easterners under the aegis of the South East Political Watchdog have raised alarm over the painful activities of Orashi Electricity Company Ltd over its continued frustration of the operations of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) as well as Transpower Electricity Distribution Ltd, which has led to series of blackouts across Imo State.
The group also questioned the licence given to Orashi Electricity Company Ltd by the Imo State Government through the Imo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (ISERC), saying that such should be thoroughly investigated after available documents showed that the company was issued a licence less than 50 days after its registration.
In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Chief Dr. Charles Ogbu and sent to newsmen in Enugu on Friday, the organisation fingered the involvement of some top officials of the Imo State Government in the activities that birthed both the company and its licence issuance.
The group further alleged that Orashi Electricity Company Ltd had repeatedly destroyed TCN and Transpower equipment.
“The constant damage to federal and distribution infrastructure has directly contributed to the prolonged blackout that has crippled homes, businesses, and essential services across Imo State.”
“There are strong indications that the operations of Orashi Electricity Company Ltd are now posing a direct threat to federal assets, especially after the alleged invasion of the TCN transmission station in Egbu, which pushed Imo State into total darkness.”
The statement explained that the use of armed personnel to compel power shutdown raises wider security concerns.
“No private company has the authority to deploy force, intimidate workers, or disrupt public electricity supply in a manner that affects the wellbeing of an entire state.”
It further questioned the ownership structure of the company, stating that “The profiles of the individuals listed as major shareholders do not align with the financial capacity required to own a large electricity business, and this gap continues to fuel suspicion among residents.”
The group also challenged the regulatory process that produced the operating licence given to Orashi Electricity company Ltd , insisting that, there exists a notable lack of due diligence by the regulatory authorities.
“The speed at which ISERC approved the company’s operations suggests that due diligence was either compromised or completely ignored, which makes a full investigation unavoidable.”
The South East Political Watchdog urged federal agencies, civil society groups, and other regulatory bodies to take urgent steps to protect electricity consumers in Imo State and ensure that no private outfit operates above the law.
The statement reads,
PRESS RELEASE
The South East Political Watchdog expresses deep concern over the troubling activities of Orashi Electricity Company Ltd, a privately owned enterprise whose actions now pose a direct threat to Federal Government investment in the power sector.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is fully owned by the Federal Government and is the only body legally empowered to release power to distribution companies.
It is therefore disturbing that Orashi Electricity Company Ltd has continued to frustrate the operations of both TCN and Transpower Electricity Distribution Limited, a subsidiary of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) that distributes electricity across Imo State.
On Saturday, 15 November 2025, at about 10:20am, Orashi Electricity Company Ltd allegedly mobilised more than forty armed policemen to invade the TCN transmission station at Egbu, which also supplies energy to Transpower.
During the invasion, the security operatives who arrived with persons linked to Orashi Electricity Company Ltd reportedly assaulted the operator on duty and forced him at gunpoint to shut down power supply, before allegedly abducting him.
This reckless act plunged the entire Imo State into total darkness.
These actions raise serious questions that the South East Political Watchdog is demanding answers to:
What exactly are the intentions of Orashi Electricity Company Ltd in shutting down electricity supply to an entire state?
Why subject thousands of Transpower customers to unnecessary suffering?
Could the Imo State Government have a hand in this, or is there something residents are not being told?
It is also on record that agents linked to Orashi Electricity Company Ltd have repeatedly destroyed properties belonging to Transpower Electricity Distribution Ltd, a company in which the Federal Government owns 40% stake. These actions undermine federal investments and threaten the stability of electricity distribution across Imo State.
In all of these alleged unlawful activities, the silence of the Imo State Government remains troubling.
How can a private company repeatedly destroy the assets of an organisation partly owned by the Federal Government, yet the State Government says nothing?
Available records show that Orashi Electricity Company Ltd is owned as follows:
- Imo State Government – 5%
- Maureen Okorogu – 9.5%
- Ndukwe Frances – 59.85%
- Catherine Anumodu – 25.65%
These names raise additional concerns for the public and regulators:
For instance, Maureen Okorogu is the DG of Imo State Small and Medium Enterprises, WTO/STDF 845 National Project Coordinator, and a director in Adani Mega Systems Ltd and Marine Operations Ltd.
Secondly, Frances Oluchi Ndukwe, a British national based in England, is linked to several companies including Harmony Hills Support Limited (UK), Vankol Homes and Support Services, and Integrated Signalling and Telecommunication Co. Ltd.
While, Catherine Anumodu, born in 1982, has been a director in Westminster Cargo Handling (UK) and Integrated Signalling and Telecommunication Co. Ltd, and resides in Abuja.
The South East Political Watchdog asks: How do individuals with these profiles suddenly become owners of a massive electricity company with investment levels far beyond their known income or business history?
Many members of the public are already saying that Orashi Electricity Company Ltd may be a front for more powerful actors, and the lack of transparency only deepens suspicion.
Another big question is: Who is truly behind Frances Oluchi Ndukwe, who has been publicly fronting for Orashi Electricity Company Ltd and is known to be a close associate of the Imo State Government?
Could it be that key people in the Government of Imo State are the real owners of Orashi Electricity Company Ltd?
These are questions that the Imo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (ISERC) must answer.
It appears that proper investigation was not carried out before issuing a licence to Orashi Electricity Company Ltd.
Everyone knows that KYC (Know Your Customer) is required before any company can receive an operating licence.
So, who authorised the licence for Orashi Electricity Company Ltd, and why?
Who are the individuals behind Adana Mega Systems Limited and Integrated Signalling and Telecommunication Co. Limited that constitute 95% ownership of Orashi Electricity Company Ltd, leaving Imo State government with only 5%?
It is also a known fact that the same company was denied licence approval by NERC for certain obvious reasons which ISERC was aware of.
Why then did ISERC issue a licence without the necessary due diligence?
Moreover, a critical look at Orashi Electricity Company Ltd shows that it was registered on 28 May 2024, yet it was granted a license to operate on 13 July 2024, a period of only 46 days. This is quite surprising and even shocking, especially because such a rapid approval seems to be against the provisions of the Act. What could be the reason behind such a hasty decision if not political interests?
Does this not indicate a lack of due diligence by the regulatory authorities, which suggests that proper verification and compliance checks were rushed or overlooked?
It is clear that the urgency reflects hidden agendas, economic motivations, and an attempt to bypass standard procedures that are meant to protect public interest.
Such an unusually fast approval has raised serious questions about transparency, accountability, and adherence to legal requirements.
The South East Political Watchdog calls on the Federal Government, security agencies, and all regulatory bodies to immediately investigate this matter and protect federal assets in Imo State; as no private company should operate above the law or hold an entire state to ransom.
We also call on all civil society organisations that defend the rights of electricity consumers to take necessary action to ensure such incidents never occur again.
Signed
Chief Dr. Charles Ogbu
National Publicity Secretary,
South East Political Watchdog.
