The Management of Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc has strongly condemned the attack on its staff and the unauthorized invasion of its Benue State Office in Makurdi on Wednesday, 21st October 2026, by a group of persons who identified themselves as Benue youths allegedly being sent by the State Government.
According to a press statement signed by the Management of JED Plc on 22nd October 2026, the unfortunate incident occurred at approximately 1:17 p.m., when a group of about 50 persons forcefully gained access to the office and confronted the JED Plc State’s management team over operational and administrative concerns. These included the illegal connection of the Government House to a refurbished 2MVA 33/11kV transformer supplying the State House of Assembly and the Government House.
During the incident, the youths forced their way into the office, assaulted and molested members of staff and further abducted 10 personnel, took out 4 vehicles and various technical working tools. The affected personnel and properties were released at about 5:45 p.m., following the forceful reconnection of the transformer. Unfortunately, the incident also caused serious injuries to several other members of staff.
A similar incident was reported on 3rd September 2026, when a team of JED Plc staff on a routine check was held hostage at the Government House following the detection of a meter bypass on the premises. The staff members were forced to reconnect the bypassed meter before being released from the facility. This issue has been lingering and remains unresolved despite several communications efforts with the officials of the State Government.
The latest incident has been escalated to the relevant security agencies, and JED Plc stated that it will continue to cooperate with them in establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident to prevent a recurrence. The company reiterated that technical interventions, including the energization of transformers and the handling of metering irregularities, must be guided by applicable regulatory requirements and safety standards.
JED Plc said it remains committed to constructive engagement with the Benue State Government and other relevant stakeholders to address concerns amicably and in the overall interest of electricity consumers and the people of Benue State.
