— Union says staff were assaulted over Government House disconnection
By Victor Ahiuma-Young
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has accused suspected thugs allegedly linked to the Benue State Government House of abducting and assaulting staff of Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc in Makurdi over the disconnection of electricity supply to the Government House.
The union said the incident occurred on October 21, 2026, when armed men allegedly invaded the electricity distribution company’s district office in Makurdi, seized the Benue State Operating Officer, Mr Samson Abah, and an unspecified number of other workers, and took them to the River Benue Bridge, where they were reportedly assaulted.
According to NUEE, the attackers were angered by the disconnection of power supply to the Government House following the alleged discovery of meter bypass by government officials.
The union further alleged that the attackers seized the workers’ mobile phones and other personal belongings, demanded money for their release and forced them to reconnect electricity supply to the Government House.
In a statement by its Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, NUEE condemned the incident and called on the relevant authorities to investigate the allegations and ensure the safety of electricity workers.
The union said the incident came barely a month after what it described as the brutalisation of JED staff in Bauchi State by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force on September 18, 2026.
According to the statement, the assailants allegedly arrived at the Makurdi office armed with weapons suspected to be guns and machetes, claiming that their superior, who had just returned from a foreign trip, was embarrassed by the disconnection of electricity supply to the Government House.
The union also alleged that the attackers accused the electricity workers of working for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
NUEE said the abducted workers were assaulted and tortured, while their phones and other personal belongings were taken. It further alleged that the workers were forced to energise a transformer it described as illegally installed and restore electricity supply to the Government House.
The union described the incident as a threat to the safety of electricity workers and urged electricity distribution companies to strengthen measures to protect staff while on duty.
It demanded that the affected workers receive adequate medical attention, that their allegedly stolen phones and other belongings be replaced, and that the Benue State Governor issue an apology.
NUEE also called on the relevant authorities to hold those responsible for the alleged attack accountable and demanded an undertaking from JED management to protect its employees from similar incidents.
The union warned that its members could withdraw from the Makurdi office if management failed to provide adequate assurances for their safety.
“We cannot continue to work under these brutalities, intimidations and threats to life until we are assured of the safety of our lives and properties,” the statement said.
