Nigeria: Ebonyi Shopping Mall Vendor Threatened After Raising Power Outage Alarm

A Nigerian trader, Uzu Cynthia, has raised the alarm over threats to her safety following a viral TikTok video where she criticised the poor infrastructure and lack of power supply at the Ebonyi Shopping Mall in Abakaliki. Uzu, who owns a shop in the mall, had earlier posted a video lamenting the lack of electricity in the facility, highlighting how the blackout was affecting business owners and their livelihoods.

In the video that quickly gained traction online, Cynthia highlighted the toll the prolonged power outage took on business owners in the mall. She showed footage of customers and vendors using torchlights to navigate the building and conduct business in near-total darkness. She also revealed how her husband’s business, Avatar Game House, struggled to operate under such conditions, as gamers were forced to play under the dim glow of phone lights. She noted that the blackout locked a friend’s shop entirely. The area surrounding her shop and that of her husband was shrouded in darkness.

After investing millions of naira here… I know how much I spent on service charges. I know how much they extorted from us to fix the light. They haven’t fixed it. I have not made sales the whole of this month because people don’t enter the shopping mall, she lamented in the video.

The post sparked widespread outrage, with many Nigerians expressing solidarity and demanding accountability from relevant authorities. In what appeared to be a prompt response to the backlash, electricity was restored across the shopping mall just 24 hours later. However, according to Uzu, her own shop was deliberately left in the dark.

In a follow-up video, she alleged that her electricity supply was disconnected without notice or explanation. More disturbingly, she said she had begun receiving threats and was told that the Ebonyi State Government was “after her life.” She specifically mentioned two individuals – Mr. Eze and someone identified as Joel – who allegedly warned her multiple times that the state government would “handle” her.

They have disconnected this light for over a week now without notifying me or giving any reason, she said in the emotional video. I’m calling on the Ebonyi State Governor, His Excellency Ogbonna Nwifuru. I’m seeing a lot of signs… who knows what the next one will be? It might be my life. I’m calling on everyone to come to my aid. I’ve not made sales for a very long time, and they’re threatening me. How do you expect me to make sales in darkness—just to wicked me because of a video I did?

Uzu, whose daily earnings depend on her shop’s activity, said the blackout targeted solely at her business appears to be a form of retaliation for speaking out. Her revelations have continued to stir reactions online, with concerned citizens calling on the Ebonyi State Government and mall authorities to investigate the situation and ensure her safety.

She has not stated whether she has reported the matter to the police or other security agencies. Her experience raises broader concerns about freedom of expression and the risks faced by individuals who dare to speak against institutional failures in Nigeria. As public attention on her case grows, it showcases the vulnerability of small business owners and the urgent need to safeguard citizens who challenge the status quo.

Read More:

• Tinubu Celebrates Makoko Advocate as Nigerians Recall Brutal Evictions and Demolition Under His Watch as Lagos State Governor
• Kenya: Autopsy Disputes Police Account, Shows Blogger Albert Ojwang Was Strangled in Custody Following Arrest Over Tweet About Police Chief

About The Author

Chinalurumogu Eze

author

See author's posts