The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has directed electricity workers to withdraw their services following a Nigerian police raid, as a sudden blackout plunged Imo State into darkness on Saturday night.
The drastic measure comes after armed police officers allegedly stormed the Egbu 132/33KV Transmission Substation, assaulting staff and forcing an unauthorised power outage.
It was gathered that the police, acting on behalf of the state government, forcibly entered the substation’s control rooms, vandalized equipment, and disrupted operations.
However, workers on duty were reportedly held at gunpoint, assaulted, and in some cases, abducted to an undisclosed location.
In a statement, NUEE’s Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, expressed shock over the raid, describing the officers actions as gangsterism and unprofessional conduct.
The statement read, “These officers forcefully invaded and vandalised the control rooms at the Egbu 132/33KV Transmission Substation in an attempt to compel Operators to grant an illegal outage.
“During the invasion, the officers allegedly disconnected power at gunpoint and held all staff on duty hostage, forcing them to open breakers under duress.
“They further unleashed violence on our members — beating, molesting, and assaulting every staff member in sight. Personal belongings, including phones, laptops, and vehicles, were destroyed, while CCTV cameras were also vandalised.
“The police officers executed this brutal and barbaric assault on innocent workers and abducted them to an undisclosed location.
“NUEE strongly condemns this reprehensible act and demands the immediate release of our abducted members. We also call for a formal undertaking from TCN Management, the Federal Ministry of Power, and the Inspector General of Police to ensure the protection of our members and to prevent any further traumatizing incidents of this nature by putting the police in check.”
Dominic added, “Additionally, we demand the immediate replacement of all staff property that was damaged or taken away, and we insist that all assaulted workers be provided with full medical attention.
“Consequently, NUEE directs all members to stay away from the office until further notice, as we cannot continue to work under conditions of brutality, intimidation, and threats to life. Work can only resume when the safety of staff and property is fully guaranteed.
“Failure to address these issues promptly will leave the Union with no alternative but to withdraw our services nationwide until adequate safety and protection are secured at all workplaces.”
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