JED Disconnects Electricity After Attack on Staff in Makurdi

Residents face business losses, charging difficulties and rising discomfort as the power outage enters its third day, prompting calls for an urgent resolution between JED and the Benue State Government.

Residents of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, are grappling with a prolonged electricity blackout after Jos Electricity Distribution Plc (JED) disconnected power supply following an alleged attack on its staff.

The outage has disrupted business activities, left residents struggling to charge their phones and other electronic devices, and intensified discomfort amid the heat.

As of Friday, the blackout had entered its third day, prompting residents to appeal to JED and the Benue State Government to resolve their disagreement and restore electricity supply.

John Ukeyima, a businessman, said the outage had affected traders and others whose businesses depend on online communication and transactions.

“Imagine a businessman whose customers can only reach him online, but his phone is switched off because there is no light to charge it,” he wrote in a social media post.

He urged JED and the state government to address the dispute, warning that the continued outage was making business activities increasingly difficult.

Another resident, Atu Joseph, described the prolonged disconnection as unfair to residents who pay their electricity bills and depend on power to earn a living.

In an open letter to JED, Joseph warned that the outage could cause financial losses for traders, particularly operators of cold rooms and other businesses that require a steady electricity supply.

While condemning the alleged attack on JED personnel, he argued that the wider population should not be made to suffer for the actions of a group of individuals.

He called for the restoration of electricity and urged authorities to identify and prosecute anyone found responsible for the attack in accordance with the law.

Residents Threaten Peaceful Protest

In a separate appeal, Ukan Kurugh urged JED and the Benue State Government to resolve their differences without further delay.

He warned that if electricity supply was not restored by Sunday, residents would begin a peaceful mass sit-out at JED offices across the state from Monday.

Kurugh said the proposed action was intended to demand accountability and draw attention to the hardship caused by the blackout.

Residents have continued to express frustration over the heat, business disruptions and difficulties associated with living and working without electricity.

JED Accuses Benue Youths of Attacking Staff

The blackout follows an incident reported by Premium Times, which said JED accused a group of about 50 persons identifying themselves as Benue youths of invading its Makurdi office on Wednesday, October 21.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the electricity distribution company alleged that the group attacked and assaulted its staff, abducted 10 personnel, took four vehicles and seized technical equipment.

JED said the affected personnel and properties were released at about 5:45 p.m. following the forceful reconnection of a transformer supplying the Government House and the Benue State House of Assembly.

The company also alleged that a similar incident occurred on September 3, when its staff were held at the Government House after detecting a meter bypass on the premises.

Benue Government Rejects JED’s Allegations

The Benue State Government rejected JED’s allegations, describing them as unfounded and demanding a retraction and apology from the company.

The government denied authorising violence and called for an impartial investigation into the reported incident.

It also maintained that disputes concerning transformer energisation and alleged metering irregularities should be addressed through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and, where necessary, the courts.

As of Friday, statements from the two parties had not established a resolution to the dispute or confirmed when electricity supply would be restored.

Residents have urged both sides to reach an agreement, insisting that ordinary citizens and business owners should not continue to bear the consequences of the disagreement.

Source:Premium Times.