By Peter Duru, Makurdi
The Benue State capital, Makurdi, has been thrown into darkness following the withdrawal of services by members of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, in the Jos Electricity Distribution Plc, JED, chapter, over an alleged attack on some of its members by suspected armed men.
The union alleged that the attackers invaded the Makurdi District office of JED, seized the Benue State Operating Officer, Mr. Samson Abah, and an unspecified number of other workers before taking them to the River Benue Bridge, where they were reportedly assaulted.
According to the union, the attackers also seized the workers’ mobile phones and other personal belongings, demanded money for their release and allegedly forced them to reconnect electricity supply to the Benue State Government House.
The Acting National Secretary of NUEE, Dominic Igwebike, who disclosed this in a statement, said the incident followed the disconnection of electricity supply to Government House over an alleged discovery of meter bypass by government officials.
The union’s position came amid an escalating disagreement over electricity supply to the state government’s seat of power, with the Benue State Government dismissing the allegations and accusing JED of making unsubstantiated claims against it.
Igwebike said the union could no longer guarantee the safety of its members if they continued to work under the prevailing circumstances, insisting that the withdrawal of services was necessary to protect their lives and property.
He said, “Our members cannot continue to work under their brutalised, intimidation and threats to life until we are assured of the safety of our lives and properties.”
Confirming the shutdown of electricity supply to Makurdi, a JED staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said the workers withdrew their services following the alleged attack on their colleagues.
“Our office was attacked and our union asked us to withdraw our services, so we have shut down power supply to Makurdi.
We have left the office after shutting down, and Makurdi will not have power supply until the matter is resolved with our union,” the staff member said.
However, the Benue State Government has strongly rejected the allegations, describing them as baseless, defamatory and an attempt to tarnish its image.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Chief Solomon Iorpev, the government said it would not accept allegations linking it to violence, abduction or illegal electricity connections without credible evidence.
The statement read, “The Government of Benue State strongly rejects the baseless and defamatory allegations contained in the press statement issued by Jos Electricity Distribution Plc (JED Plc) on October 22, 2026. The claims that the State Government sanctioned acts of violence, abduction, or illegal electricity connections are reckless, unfounded, and unacceptable.”
Addressing the allegations surrounding the reported attack on JED workers, the government questioned the evidence linking it to the incident, arguing that the distribution company had not provided verifiable details to substantiate its claims.
According to the statement: “JED Plc’s own use of the word ‘allegedly’ confirms that it has no evidence linking the Government to the incident of October 21, 2026. No names, identities, or credible references were provided. The Government categorically rejects this insinuation.”
On the dispute over electricity supply to Government House, the state government said issues concerning transformer energisation and alleged metering irregularities should be handled through the appropriate regulatory and judicial channels.
It stated, “Issues of transformer energization and metering irregularities are regulatory matters. They must be addressed before the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and, where necessary, the courts, not through inflammatory press releases.
“Assertions of abduction, assault, and injuries remain unsubstantiated. The Government does not condone violence and demands that impartial, evidence-based, and transparent investigations be carried out by security operatives,” the statement added.
Expressing displeasure over JED’s handling of the controversy, the government described the company’s public reaction as premature, arguing that it should have allowed security agencies to establish the facts before making allegations in the media.
“The reckless outburst by the JED without conclusive investigations is suspicious and amounts to sponsorship by enemies of state to tarnish the image of the government,” the statement alleged.
The government also faulted JED’s reference to an earlier incident on September 3, 2026, describing the company’s account as misleading.
It challenged the distribution company to produce documentary evidence of its alleged previous communications with the state government over the dispute.
“The company has failed to produce records of its alleged ‘several communications’ with the Government. The State challenges JED Plc to publish such correspondence if it exists,” the statement said.
Insisting that electricity distribution companies must comply with the same regulatory requirements and safety standards applicable to their customers, the government said JED must also be held accountable for its operations.
The statement added: “JED Plc itself acknowledges that interventions must comply with regulatory requirements and safety standards. The Government insists that this standard binds JED Plc as firmly as it binds any customer, including public institutions.”
The state government further warned JED against what it described as attempts to politicise its operations and damage the integrity of the state.
“The Benue State Government will not tolerate attempts by any business entity to politicize its operations or malign the integrity of the State. JED Plc is hereby strongly warned to desist from making baseless accusations in the media,” it said.
Consequently, the government demanded the immediate withdrawal of what it described as the insinuation that it sanctioned violence, a retraction of the allegation that it engaged in meter bypassing or illegal electricity connections, and a formal apology to the government and the people of Benue State.
It warned that it would consider legal action if JED persisted in disseminating what it described as false information.
“The Government remains committed to the rule of law, the protection of lives and property, and constructive engagement with stakeholders in the electricity sector. However, it will not hesitate to pursue legal remedies should JED Plc persist in disseminating falsehoods,” the statement said.
The government added that the people of Benue State deserved reliable electricity supply, respectful treatment and accountability rather than what it termed reckless allegations.
As of the time of filing this report, the dispute had resulted in a shutdown of electricity supply to Makurdi, with the workers insisting that they would not resume operations until the matter was resolved with their union.
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