The All Progressives Congress in Benue State has condemned the alleged assault, abduction and intimidation of personnel of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc in Makurdi.
The management of JED Plc on Thursday said that about 50 youths invaded its office along Otukpo Road on Wednesday, assaulted and molested members of staff, and abducted 10 personnel.
However, the state government, through the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Solomon Iorpev, described the allegations as unfounded and baseless.
The Austin Agada-led APC faction in the state said the incident had led to widespread electricity disruption across the state, leaving residents and businesses in darkness.
The party condemned the incident in a statement issued on Friday and signed by the faction’s state publicity secretary, Daniel-Morgan Ihomun. It stated that no government had the right to resort to intimidation or tolerate violence against workers simply because of a disagreement over electricity bills or power disconnection.
The party said that instead of allegedly attacking the company’s personnel, the state government should have investigated the alleged illegal connections and outstanding penalty involving the government before engaging JED Plc’s management in negotiations.
The statement read in part, “We are particularly concerned that this confrontation has contributed to widespread electricity disruption, leaving residents and businesses across Benue State in darkness.
“Small businesses, traders, cold-room operators, artisans, healthcare facilities and households are bearing the consequences of a dispute they did not create. The financial losses and disruption to essential services could become more severe if the situation is not urgently resolved.”
The party called on the Alia administration to issue an unreserved public apology to JED, its affected personnel and the people of Benue State for the incident and the resulting disruption to public life.
It also urged the government to settle all verified and undisputed outstanding electricity bills owed by the state government while resolving any contested charges through lawful and transparent procedures.
The party further called on the government to:
“Ensure the immediate restoration of normal electricity supply by engaging JED and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) in good faith and providing credible assurances that workers can safely perform their duties.
“Provide appropriate compensation for verifiable losses suffered by businesses and individuals where liability is established through a fair and transparent claims process.
“Support an impartial investigation into the reported assault, abduction and seizure of JED property, ensuring that anyone found culpable is held accountable in accordance with the law, regardless of political affiliation or connections.”
The party also called on Governor Hyacinth Alia to address the resurgence of political thuggery and intimidation in the state.
The statement further read in part, “The reported incident reinforces concerns about the use of violence in political and administrative disputes. No group should be permitted to take the law into its own hands, and allegations of links between the perpetrators and government officials must be investigated independently rather than treated as established facts.
“The party considers it unacceptable for ordinary citizens to bear the cost of a confrontation arising from a dispute involving the state government and a public utility company. Government House cannot be treated as more important than the homes, businesses and essential services that depend on electricity throughout Benue State.
“Benue deserves responsible leadership, respect for the rule of law and peaceful resolution of disputes, not violence, intimidation and prolonged disruption of economic activity.”
The party further urged the state government to prioritise the welfare of the people, engage the relevant parties immediately and take concrete steps to restore public confidence.
“The reputation of Benue State must not be damaged by incidents that could have been prevented through dialogue and lawful conduct.
“The people of Benue deserve light, security, accountability and responsible governance. They must not be made to pay for a crisis they did not create,” the statement read in part.