The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has left residents of Sauka ka huta, Mandela and Tima Junction in Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger without electricity for the past six days after one of the company’s workers was allegedly beaten up by some youth in a beer parlour.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) gathered that the AEDC worker was attacked after he allegedly made disparaging comments about the communities.
“The communities have remained in total darkness since the incident,” a resident, Mr Francis George told NAN on Tuesday.
He claimed that the official, who was transferred from Kontagora area office to Sauka ka huta, had before the incident, threatened to teach the communities a lesson by disconnecting power supply there.
NAN gathered that the communities were having 24 hours of the uninterrupted power supply before the incident.
Alhaji Sani GaAllah, a community leader in the area described the situation as unfortunate, saying it has crippled social and economic activities.
” It is unfortunate that the AEDC has forgotten that of recent, the community prevailed on the state government to provide a new transformer to the area.
“We have been in darkness for four months before the intervention of the state Government which donated a brand new transformer to us”, he said.
Alhaji Garba Jigo, another community leader, said there has been no official statement from the AEDC on why the communities were disconnected.
Jigo dismissed as false, claims of the beating up of the company’s worker by residents.
He urged the company to restore electricity to the communities, saying even if one of the company’s workers was manhandled as being claimed, it was irresponsible to meet out collective punishment on the whole communities.
He noted that various women farmers cooperatives who depend on electricity for their businesses have been left grounded.
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When contacted for comment, Alhaji Adamu Mohammad, AEDC Public Relation Officer confirmed that some of the residents had attacked one of its officials, but denied that the incident took place in a beer parlour.
“I am not aware of our staff beaten up at a bear parlour, but our staff was attacked by hoodlums while repairing our facilities at Sauka ka huta area.
“We will only restore power supply if the community leaders assure us of the safety of our officials on duty,” he said.
