NUEE Threatens to Withdraw Workers from JED Office in Benue Over Alleged Abduction, Torture

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has threatened to withdraw its members from the Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc office in Makurdi, Benue State, following allegations that workers were abducted, tortured and intimidated by suspected government house thugs.

The union warned that its members would stay away from the office indefinitely unless JED management provided adequate assurances of their safety. It stressed that electricity workers should not have to risk their lives or personal property while carrying out their official duties.

In a statement signed by its Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, NUEE condemned an alleged attack on JED’s Benue State office on October 21, 2026, describing the incident as another example of violence against electricity workers performing their responsibilities.

According to the union, the attackers allegedly abducted the Benue State Operating Officer, Samson Abah, alongside an unspecified number of other employees and took them to the River Benue Bridge. NUEE said the incident followed the disconnection of electricity supply to the Benue State Government House.

The union claimed that the assailants, who were allegedly armed with weapons suspected to be guns and machetes, stormed the company’s district office in Makurdi in reaction to the disconnection. It further alleged that the attackers demanded money before releasing the affected workers and forced them to restore power to the Government House through what it described as an illegally installed transformer.

Reacting to the allegations, NUEE urged electricity distribution companies to prioritise employee safety and ensure workers are protected from threats or violence arising from operational decisions. It also called on JED management to provide adequate medical care for the affected employees and replace their seized mobile phones and other personal belongings.

The union further demanded a written apology from the Benue State Governor over the alleged incident. It maintained that electricity workers could not continue performing their duties in an environment where they faced alleged brutality, intimidation and threats to their lives.

NUEE’s threat to withdraw workers raises concerns about staff safety at the distribution company’s Makurdi office and the potential disruption of its operations. The supplied report does not include a response from JED management or the Benue State Government to the allegations.