Hoodlums raid JED Benue office, abduct 10 staff over power dispute

By Kingsley Chukwuka

​The management of Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc has issued a firm condemnation following a violent raid on its Benue State headquarters in Makurdi, during which several employees were assaulted and ten staff members were unlawfully detained.

The incident, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon, was reportedly carried out by a group of roughly 50 individuals claiming to be Benue youths acting on behalf of the state government.

​According to an official statement released on Thursday by JED’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Saratu Dauda, the intruders forcibly entered the facility around 1:17 p.m and confronted local management over ongoing operational disputes.

The crux of the altercation and according to reports involved the illegal connection of the Benue State Government House to a recently refurbished 2MVA 33/11kV transformer, a unit meant to supply power jointly to the State House of Assembly and the executive compound.

​During the hour-long standoff, the mob physically molested several workers, leaving multiple staff members with serious injuries.

The assailants seized four operational vehicles, confiscated technical tools, and abducted ten employees.

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The captive workers and equipment were held for over four hours and were only released around 5:45 p.m after JED personnel were coerced into forcibly reconnecting the contested transformer, the statement said.

​Management highlighted that this escalation is part of a recurring pattern of hostility informing that a similar breach took place on September 3, when a routine inspection team was taken hostage at the Government House after uncovering an illegal meter bypass on the premises.

“On that occasion, field staff were similarly intimidated and forced to reconnect the bypassed meter prior to their release. Despite repeated attempts by JED to communicate with state officials, the underlying power and metering disputes remain unresolved”, Dauda said.

She said JED has formally reported the invasion to law enforcement authorities and is cooperating fully with security agencies to investigate the assault and prevent future breaches.

While affirming its commitment to maintaining constructive relationships with community leaders and government bodies, JED emphasized that all technical operations, grid energizations, and metering standardizations must strictly adhere to regulatory rules and safety protocols rather than illegal self-help.

Dauda maintained that dialogue and mutual understanding remain the only acceptable pathways to resolve stakeholder grievances in Benue State.