JED Condemns Benue Attack on Staff, Invasion Makurdi Office, Calls for Calm, Constructive Engagement

From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi

The Management of Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc has condemned the alleged attack on its staff and the invasion of its Benue State office in Makurdi by a group of persons said to have identified themselves as Benue youths acting on behalf of the state government.

The company said the incident occurred on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, when about 50 persons allegedly forced their way into its office and confronted the state management team over operational and administrative issues.

In a statement issued to journalists on Thursday and signed by its Public Relations Officer, Mrs Saratu Dauda, JED said the incident occurred at approximately 1:17 p.m.

According to the company, the confrontation centred on the alleged illegal connection of the Government House to a refurbished 2MVA, 33/11kV transformer supplying electricity to the Benue State House of Assembly and the Government House.

The statement alleged that the group assaulted and molested members of staff, abducted 10 personnel, removed four vehicles and took away various technical tools during the invasion.

JED said the affected personnel and properties were released at about 5:45 p.m. following the forceful reconnection of the transformer.

The company added that several other staff members sustained serious injuries during the incident.

It further recalled a similar incident on September 3, 2026, when a team of its personnel conducting a routine inspection was allegedly held hostage at the Government House after detecting a meter bypass on the premises.

According to JED, the personnel were compelled to reconnect the bypassed meter before they were allowed to leave the facility.

The electricity distribution company lamented that the dispute had persisted despite several attempts to resolve the matter through communication with officials of the Benue State Government.

It said the latest incident had been reported to the relevant security agencies, adding that it would cooperate with them to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and prevent a recurrence.

While acknowledging the importance of addressing stakeholders’ concerns and maintaining cordial relationships with government institutions and host communities, JED stressed that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and mutual understanding rather than confrontation.

The company also emphasised that technical operations, including transformer energisation and the resolution of metering irregularities, must comply with relevant regulatory requirements and safety standards.

JED reiterated its commitment to constructive engagement with the Benue State Government and other stakeholders to resolve the dispute amicably in the interest of electricity consumers and the people of the state.