The Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) has issued a three-day ultimatum to authorities to address the alleged assault, arrest and humiliation of 10 electricity workers by Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel in Bauchi state.
Rilwanu Shehu, national deputy president of SSAEAC, said the union would ground electricity sector operations nationwide if the authorities failed to act by the end of the ultimatum.
Shehu spoke on Monday during a protest in Bauchi over the alleged invasion of the Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) operation office and arrest of its workers by NAF personnel.
“We are scared, we are not safe and cannot continue with our activities,” Shehu said.
“We give benefit of doubt to the security operatives, the police and DSS to intervene and resolve the matter amicably. We will ground the activities of the electricity industry in the entire nation if nothing is done to the NAF men who assaulted our staff.”
He said the ultimatum runs from September 21 to September 23.
The NAF personnel, according to Shehu, invaded the JED office in Bauchi on September 18 after electricity workers disconnected power to the NAF quarters along the Ningi-Kano Road over unpaid electricity bills.
The SSAEAC president said the company had notified the NAF authorities before the disconnection.
Shehu alleged that the personnel arrested and assaulted 10 workers before taking them to an undisclosed location.
He said some of the affected workers are receiving medical treatment following the alleged maltreatment.
The union leader said the association would pursue all legal channels to protect its members and seek justice.
“We will not tolerate any act of injustice, intimidation or harassment against our members,” he said.
Sikamta Mshelinga, Bauchi branch chairman of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), said workers would remain at home and withdraw their services pending further directives from the national leadership.
The leadership of SSAEAC and NUEE, accompanied by officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union (RATTAWU), had earlier visited the Bauchi commissioner of police and the state director of the Department of State Services (DSS) to report the incident.
The unions urged the security agencies to intervene and resolve the matter.
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