3 men land in police cell for assaulting EEDC staff
Three men were on Wednesday arrested by men of the Nigerian Police, Ogidi division, Anambra State, for assaulting staff of the Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC (EEDC).
The assaulted staff of the electricity company were said to be carrying out their legitimate duties in Nkpor area of Anambra State when the incidence happened.
Head of Communications, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh, who made this known in a statement, said the team made up of linesmen and marketers attached to its Umunya Service Centre, under Ogidi District.
According to Eze, “The team were at Maryland Layout, Umuoji Road, Nkpor, for cash drive/disconnection of indebted customers. They were in the premises, which is a two storey building to engage with the customers before serving them the disconnection notice when two hefty men locked up the gate and descended on them, slapping, punching and smashing one of them against the gate when he tried to escape, thereby leaving him in a critical state at the hospital, as a result of the cracked jaw bone injury he sustained from the assault”.
Eze identified the main suspect as Nonso Amadi, 32, who hails from Orlu, Imo State; while his accomplice, Chibuzor Okafor, 32, is an indigene of Umanachi, Anambra State; and a 67 year-old man identified as Onyelowe Sylvanus, an indigene of Aba Ngwa, Abia State, who attempted to attack the team with a machete.
The suspects were immediately arrested by the Police and are currently detained at the Ogidi Police Station for interrogation and further legal proceedings.
Ezeh said that with this development they are optimistic that the appropriate punishment will be administered to these men to serve as a deterrent to others.
“Assault on EEDC field officers in the course of carrying out our daily operations is one of the challenges faced by the company, and this is highly prevalent in Ogidi district. We have had situations where customers release their dogs on our staff, threaten them at gun point to either come down from the pole or to climb and reconnect them.
“Sometimes, these staff are pulled down from the ladder while they are still on the pole and attacked with harmful objects like knife. These are individuals who work to earn a living, most of whom are bread winners to their families. If this is encouraged, it could happen to anyone tomorrow,” Eze bemoaned, adding that, “The management of EEDC frowns at these actions and will not hesitate in ensuring that the law takes its course”.
He however advised customers to pay their electricity bills as and when due to avoid being disconnected; and not to take laws into their hands. Where there are grievances, they are encouraged to follow the established redress mechanism approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to channel their complaints. The regulation also provides opportunity to escalate issues to the nearest NERC Forum Offices within their area, for further intervention.
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