Benue residents groan as JED disconnects electricity after attack on staff

Residents of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, have complained about rising heat, business disruptions and difficulties charging their electronic devices after Jos Electricity Distribution Plc (JED) disconnected electricity supply to the city following an attack on its staff.

The blackout entered its third day on Friday, leaving residents and business owners appealing to the electricity company and the Benue State Government to resolve their disagreement and restore supply.

Some residents said the prolonged outage had disrupted businesses that depend on electricity and affected people who rely on their phones to communicate with customers and conduct online transactions.

John Ukeyima, a businessman, said the blackout had left many residents with discharged phones, affecting those whose businesses depend on their online presence.

“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 called on JED and the state government to resolve the issues behind the disconnection.

Another resident, Atu Joseph, described the prolonged outage as unfair to residents who pay their electricity bills and depend on power for their livelihoods.

In an open letter to JED, Mr Joseph said the outage could cause financial losses for traders and business owners, particularly those operating cold rooms and other businesses that require constant electricity.

He condemned the alleged attack on JED staff but argued that residents should not bear the consequences of an incident involving a group of people.

He urged the company to restore electricity and called for those responsible for the attack to be identified and dealt with in accordance with the law.

Ukan Kurugh, in a separate appeal on behalf of residents, urged JED and the state government to resolve their differences immediately.

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

Mr Kurugh said the proposed action was intended to demand accountability and an end to the hardship caused by the blackout.

The appeals come amid complaints about the heat and the difficulties of living and working without electricity.

Background

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that JED accused a group of about 50 persons who identified themselves as Benue youths of invading its Makurdi office on Wednesday, 21 October.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the 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. after the forceful reconnection of a transformer supplying the Government House and the State House of Assembly.

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

The Benue State Government rejected the allegations, describing them as unfounded and demanding a retraction and apology from JED. It denied authorising violence and called for an impartial investigation into the reported incident.

The government also said disputes involving transformer energisation and metering irregularities should be addressed through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and, where necessary, the courts.

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

Residents have urged both parties to reach an agreement, saying the public should not continue to bear the consequences of the dispute.