SSAEAC petitions NSCDC over alleged brutalization of PHED staff, customers by its officers

Tina Amanda

Seniors Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) has petitioned the Commandant General Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Abubakar Audi, over alleged brutalization, violent attack and unlawful detention of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company PLC (PHED) staff and customers by its officers.

The Union wrote the petition on behalf of her members, staff and customers of the PHED stating succinctly as follows:

“That Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company PLC (PHED) is a company registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, entitled to the rights, protection and privileges under the Act and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and to carry on its lawful and legitimate business of distributing electricity in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Cross Rivers States within the existing laws.”

Reacting to the incident Deputy General Secretary SSAEAC South East/South-South, Comrade Innocent Lord-Douglas, narrated that on Monday 20 March, 2023, in the early hours of the day, while the Staff of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company PLC (PHED) attached to Rumuola injection substation were busy attending to customers and carrying out their lawful duty, NSCDC officials from Olu Obasanjo Road, Port Harcourt stormed the business premises with two Toyota Hilux Vehicles in a commando style, armed to the teeth, sporadically shot in the air, forcefully opened the gate and started brutalizing, beating molesting and hitting every customer and staff(including pregnant women) with their guns and whips.

“While the Men and Officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) from Olu Obasanjo displayed these barbaric acts, they also squeezed the staff and customers, collected their mobile phones, wallets and other personal belongings.

“After being satisfied with their brutalization, they faced the facilities of PHEDC, Rumuola Injection Substation, destroyed most of the facilities and whisked away detained some of the staff in their office at Olu Obasanjo Road.

“While they were carrying out these nefarious acts, they were shouting, why did you people disconnect our office? Why did you people disconnect our office? They did not give room for explanation from the staff, neither did they dialogue or go into negotiation with the staff.

“It is disheartening to say that, despite the efforts of the officials of the PHEDC Security Department to peacefully quell the situation and secure the release of the staff battered and injured staff arrested by the Men and Officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on the spot, they refused and took them away to their office at Olu Obasanjo Road.

“More pathetic is the fact that PHEDC did not disconnect their office as alleged, rather the network linking or serving the Command’s line was faulty and undergoing maintenance a day or two before this dastardly act took place.

“We state categorically clear that, as a result of this violent attack on the staff and customers of PHEDC Rumuola Injection Substation, destroying most of the facilities in the premises, PHEDC has lost millions of naira as business was shot down, customers and staff running for their dear lives.

“To put the record straight, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) is by law required to act within the confines of the law establishing it and not to take laws into their hands by resulting to self-help, which the law frowns at.

“In the vein, we state that the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) must pay its electricity bills that have run into millions of naira before reconnecting them. Not only that they will pay the electricity bills, we will also proceed to a court of competent jurisdiction to seek redress for the breach of fundamental rights of the staff and claim damages for the destroyed facilities.

“This action carried out by the NSCDC has placed our members and staff at risk of losing their jobs due to the inability to meet set target in same feeder.”

He further demanded that the Commandant should use his good office of high repute to do or cause the following to be done:

“We call the Commander of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Rivers State Command, Michael Ogar to order as he is no longer maintaining the tenets, mission and vision of the command but has chosen to go frolic, using self-help; to order for thorough investigation of this incident vital and arraign anyone if indicted by Police investigation before a competent court.

“We call upon the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Olu Obasanjo Road;
• To pay its electricity bills that have run into millions of naira.
• To pay incurred hospital treatment bills and lost items to the victims.
• To write an undertaking that such detestably act will repeat itself.
A stitch in time saves nine.”