Electricity workers have threatened to shut down power supply nationwide following the alleged invasion of the Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc office in Bauchi and assault of its staff by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
Members of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) issued the threat on Monday during a protest at the Bauchi State Police Command headquarters.
The unions accused NAF personnel of invading JED’s Bauchi office on September 18, assaulting and detaining workers and allegedly forcing the reconnection of electricity to NAF residential quarters.
The incident reportedly followed JED’s disconnection of the quarters along Ningi Road over prolonged non-payment of electricity bills. JED has put the outstanding debt attributed to the facility at ₦196.7 million.
Speaking during the protest, SSAEAC Deputy President-General (North), Rilwanu Shehu, alleged that 10 electricity workers were assaulted and detained before being released. He said the affected workers were receiving medical attention.
Shehu called for the arrest and prosecution of the NAF personnel allegedly involved, warning that failure to address the matter could trigger industrial action across the electricity sector.
“We will ground the activities of the electricity industry in the entire nation if nothing is done to the NAF men who assaulted our staff,” he said.
He urged the protesters to remain calm, saying the union was engaging the police, the Department of State Services and other relevant authorities to resolve the matter.
He said the Defence Minister, Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Air Staff had been informed of the incident.
NUEE Bauchi State Chairman, Sikamta Ali Mshelinga, also condemned the alleged assault and said workers were increasingly concerned about their safety.
He said members would stay away from work pending resolution of the matter, while calling for the identification and prosecution of those allegedly involved.
The union’s position is consistent with an earlier statement by JED, which alleged that NAF personnel invaded its Bauchi headquarters and forcibly compelled workers to restore electricity supply after the disconnection of the military quarters.