The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has accused suspected thugs linked to the Benue State Government of abducting and torturing workers of Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED) Plc following the disconnection of electricity supply to the Government House in Makurdi.
The union made the allegation in a press statement seen by Nairametrics and signed by its Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, following the incident reportedly carried out on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
The latest allegation comes barely a month after workers of the same electricity distribution company (DisCo) were allegedly assaulted by Nigerian Air Force personnel in Bauchi State on September 18, raising renewed concerns over the safety of electricity workers performing their duties.
NUEE alleges abduction and torture
According to NUEE, suspected thugs armed with guns and machetes invaded JED’s district office in Makurdi, claiming that the disconnection had embarrassed their principal, who had recently returned from a foreign trip.
- ” The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) condemns totally the invasion of the Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc Benue State Makurdi office by thugs from Benue State Government house over the disconnection of the Government house,” the statement reads in part.
The union alleged that the attackers accused the workers of acting on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
- “They carried out this brutal and barbaric action against innocent workers because the Government House was disconnected due to the discovery of meter bypass by government house officials.”
NUEE further alleged that the attackers abducted JED’s Benue State Operating Officer, Samson Abah, alongside other employees, and took them to the River Benue bridge, where they were assaulted.
The union claimed that the attackers confiscated the workers’ phones and personal belongings, demanded money for their release and compelled them to restore electricity to the Government House through a transformer it described as illegally installed.
- “We vehemently reject this continuous threat to the lives of Electricity Workers across the Country and provocation by customers especially from government institutions.”
The union demanded medical treatment for the affected employees, replacement of their stolen belongings, an apology from the Benue State Governor and action against those responsible.
It also warned that members could stay away from the affected office indefinitely unless JED management provided adequate assurances concerning their safety.
The allegations against individuals linked to the Benue State Government have not been independently established.
JED workers faced previous assault allegations
The latest development follows a similar confrontation involving JED workers and Nigerian Air Force personnel in Bauchi State on September 18, 2026.
- JED had alleged that military personnel invaded its Bauchi office, assaulted employees and forcibly restored electricity to Air Force residential quarters after they were disconnected over unpaid bills.
The distribution company said the affected facilities owed approximately N196.7 million, with the disconnection carried out on September 14 following prolonged non-payment.
Disputes involving government institutions and electricity distributors have also occurred elsewhere in Nigeria.
- In August 2024, Nairametrics reported that Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company disconnected electricity supply to the Kaduna State Government House and other public facilities over outstanding bills amounting to N2.9 billion.
The company said the decision followed unsuccessful efforts to recover the debt through negotiations with the state government.
Meanwhile, the latest dispute comes as electricity consumers in parts of Lagos and Abuja face supply disruptions.
On October 19, Ikeja Electric attributed reduced electricity supply across its network to inadequate power allocation from the national grid, while Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) reported technical faults affecting several communities in the Federal Capital Territory.
DisCos struggle with revenue recovery
Beyond disputes over disconnections, Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies continue to struggle with revenue recovery and billing inefficiencies.
- According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), DisCos recovered N205.53 billion from the N250.79 billion charged to customers in July 2026, leaving N45.26 billion outstanding.
This represented a collection efficiency of 81.95%, highlighting the industry’s continuing difficulty in recovering payments for electricity supplied.
- The financial challenges were also evident in the second quarter of 2026, when electricity valued at N201.90 billion was supplied but not billed, bringing the industry’s billing efficiency down to 78.67%.
For the entire 2025 financial year, distribution companies were unable to recover N669.49 billion in electricity charges already billed to customers, according to NERC’s annual industry report.
The persistent gaps between electricity supplied, amounts billed and payments collected continue to weaken the financial position of DisCos and their capacity to meet obligations across Nigeria’s electricity value chain.