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Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, has remained in total darkness since January 2026, with residents and business owners reporting months of uninterrupted blackout that has severely impacted economic activities and quality of life.
Human rights activist Ukan Kurugh, in a widely shared social media post, described the situation as a deliberate sabotage of development efforts in the state. He accused the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDCO), which supplies power to Benue, of recklessly abandoning its responsibility to provide electricity, effectively undermining Governor Hyacinth Alia’s ongoing initiatives to transform every part of the state.
Kurugh lamented that while the governor is “working tirelessly to fix every nook and cranny” of Benue, JEDCO appears to be working against progress by failing to restore power. He questioned how residents and businesses are expected to benefit from development when there is no electricity, describing the prolonged outage as a major barrier to productivity, commerce, and basic living.
“The situation is killing businesses in Benue State,” Kurugh stated. “How exactly are people supposed to benefit from development when there is no power and this is all done by JEDCO’s reckless abandonment?”
The activist called on citizens to “wake up and confront this situation now or never,” urging collective action to demand accountability from the electricity distribution company. He emphasized that reliable power supply is essential for any meaningful progress and accused JEDCO of holding the state hostage through prolonged neglect.
Residents and small business owners in Makurdi have echoed similar frustrations, reporting significant losses due to inability to operate machinery, preserve perishable goods, or provide services that depend on electricity. Many have resorted to expensive alternatives such as generators, further straining household and business finances amid rising fuel costs.
Neither JEDCO nor the Benue State Government has issued an official statement addressing the specific claims or providing a timeline for restoration at the time of this report. The prolonged blackout continues to fuel public anger and calls for urgent intervention to restore normal power supply to the state capital.
