The Take It Back Movement, Delta State Chapter, has intervened in a power-related dispute in Sapele, Delta State, leading to the successful recovery of ₦1.6 million paid by a victim under disputed circumstances.
The intervention was disclosed by the Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement in Delta State, Comrade Ochuko Famili, popularly known as Village Headmaster, in a statement recounting the incident.
According to Famili, the incident occurred on Friday, January 23, 2026, when he assisted a resident who had paid ₦1.6 million to an individual for access to Line 33, a so-called “dedicated line” believed to offer a more stable electricity supply.
“The victim paid the sum of ₦1.6 million to someone in order to connect to Line 33 (a dedicated line with more stable power supply). This money was just to gain access to the transformer alone,” Famili stated.
He further explained that beyond the initial payment, the victim reportedly spent an additional ₦2 million on wiring, electrical poles, and other related infrastructure to complete the connection.
However, less than two months after the connection was made, the transformer reportedly developed a fault. The victim was then asked to contribute money for repairs, a demand he rejected on the grounds that no prior agreement had been made requiring him to bear such costs.
Following the disagreement, the matter was reported to the police. Famili noted that when the victim demanded a refund of the ₦1.6 million paid, the accused individual refused, reportedly citing backing from some police officers.
“The accused refused and was backed by some officers who claimed the DPO had insisted on no refund,” Famili said.
As the Delta State Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Famili said he directly contacted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to clarify the situation.
“I called the DPO and explained the issue to him. He denied taking such a position and then requested to see the victim,” he explained.
According to the statement, within a few hours of the engagement, the DPO reportedly directed that the ₦1.6 million be refunded, a directive that was immediately complied with by the accused.
“This was done immediately by the accused,” Famili confirmed.
Beyond the individual case, the Take It Back Movement Coordinator used the incident to draw attention to what he described as the broader failure of Nigeria’s power sector.
“This entire case also highlights the level of failure of the Nigerian power sector, where the national grid collapses every other day as a result of national greed,” he said.
Famili lamented that Nigerians are increasingly forced to pay millions of naira for limited electricity supply, often without any guarantee of reliability.
“Individuals pay millions in order to get 12–18 hours of power supply, which is still not a guarantee they will get it,” he added.
He concluded by calling for collective action to demand accountability and reform in the power sector, “We need to, as a people, make the government provide constant, affordable, and accessible power supply,” Famili stated.
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