The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company on Friday expressed concern over incessant attacks on its workers in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers States.
PHED’s Acting Corporate Communications Manager, Chioma Aninwe, raised the alarm in a statement in Port Harcourt, stressing that such attacks had become a trend in the four states it operates in.
According to her, the latest of such ugly incidents happened in Bayelsa State when its workers on routine inspection and disconnection were mobbed by hired thugs.
Aninwe said: “The unfortunate incident occurred while our staff members were on routine cash drive activity at Etegwe High Court Road in Bayelsa state on November 25.
“A team of Distribution Transformer Executives and linesmen arrived at the residence of Chief Godknows Powell, a former Commissioner for Local Government and Development in Bayelsa.
“Our staff while inspecting his (Powell’s) metre, with account number 877504400501, discovered that he had not made payment for energy consumed since May 2019.
Aninwe said after the discovery, the PHED team issued a disconnection notice to the apartment in line with the company’s policy on bill evasion by some customers.
She added: “Coincidentally, while this was going on, Powell drove into the compound, and one of the DTRE executives approached to engage him being a known politician in the state.
“Powell angrily walked out on the staff and called his thugs to teach our staff some lessons.
“Thugs descended on our staff and beat them up mercilessly, inflicting serious bodily injuries on them – with one staff losing consciousness.”
Aninwe said the attack was later stopped by a team of policemen called to the scene to restore law and order.
She said after normalcy was restored, the building was eventually disconnected from electricity, while some of the brutalised workers were admitted to hospital for treatment from their injuries.
She added: “The action of Chief Powell, being a former political office holder and someone knowledgeable about the use of public utilities is reprehensible, condemnable and uncalled for.
“Customers, no matter their status in society, have no right under any law to consume electricity without making commensurate payment.
“PHED will not bow to such intimidation, and will ensure the full wrath of the law is served to Powell and his ilk.”
Reacting, Michael Ekedi, a lawyer to Powell, debunked the allegation, describing it as an attempt to malign and defame his client’s character.
The attorney insisted that Powell neither sent thugs after the officials, indulged in any illegal connection or had any metre installed to his apartment.
Ekedi said: “After Powell drove into the compound, he told the PHED officials not to disconnect his premises on grounds that he had severally requested for pre-paid metres without success.
“My client requested that they install metres in each of the buildings inside the compound but PHED refused to provide metres and resorted to community billing.
“Thereafter, the leader of the PHED insulted Powell.
“So, my client left the compound after realising that with his reputation, he shouldn’t be seen arguing with the PHED officials.”
Ekedi said it was after the workers left the compound to another area in the neighbourhood that they were attacked.
He added: “So, it is not true that Powell sent anybody to attack the officials.
“If he did, they wouldn’t have been able to disconnect his premises in the first place.
“It is an attempt to malign my client’s image and defame his character, and we will write to them and then head to court.”