The National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, has condemned the alleged abduction and brutalisation of its Edo State chairman and one other member by suspected safety operatives.
DAILY POST reviews that the Zonal Vice Chairman of the union, West Zone, Engr. David Ehigiamuose, made the condemnation on Friday, October 23, 2026, at a press briefing in Benin City.
Ehigiamuose mentioned the West Zone contains Edo, Delta, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Kwara and Oyo states.
The press assertion was titled “Abduction, Brutalisation and Arrest of NUEE Edo State Chairman and Others.”
He alleged that the Edo State chairman of NUEE, Comrade William Uwumarogie, and Comrade Mathew Eromobor had been kidnapped, brutalised and arrested between 7:20 p.m. and eight:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
He mentioned the duo had been kidnapped whereas members of the union had been protecting guard on the headquarters of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) on Akpakpava Road, Benin City, in continuation of their legit industrial motion over unresolved points with the electrical energy distribution firm.
The West Zonal Vice Chairman alleged {that a} workforce of armed safety personnel arrived in a Toyota Hiace bus and a Hilux van and invaded the BEDC headquarters in what he described as a Gestapo-style operation earlier than abducting the union officers.
According to him, the union was disturbed and apprehensive in regards to the alleged abduction, brutalisation and arrest of its Edo State chairman and Eromobor.
“The team, comprising mobile policemen, regular police officers and Nigerian Army personnel, attacked, brutalised, arrested and whisked them away to an unknown destination.
“Their phones and personal belongings were confiscated by the military personnel, and they were treated like armed robbers.
“This is a clear violation of the conciliatory resolution reached at the meeting held with the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment in Abuja, that no worker should be victimised,” he mentioned.
Ehigiamuose mentioned the 2 males had been, nonetheless, launched at about 1:00 a.m. on Friday, October 23, after allegedly struggling extreme brutalisation.
He added that they had been receiving medical therapy at an undisclosed hospital.
The union official additional alleged that members woke as much as discover a mixed workforce of closely armed navy and police personnel occupying the BEDC headquarters in Benin City, as if they had been getting ready for struggle.
The union demanded the speedy withdrawal of navy personnel from the BEDC headquarters and ample medical therapy for the affected members.
It additionally demanded the speedy and unconditional return of the telephones and private belongings allegedly confiscated from the members inside 24 hours.
While urging its members in Edo State to stay dedicated to the wrestle, Ehigiamuose threatened that the union would don’t have any choice however to escalate the economic motion nationwide if the belongings weren’t returned and the navy personnel didn’t withdraw from the BEDC headquarters following the briefing.
He mentioned the Edo State Government and the administration of BEDC must be held liable for any breakdown of industrial peace arising from the alleged provocation.
When contacted, the Army spokesperson in Edo State, Kennedy Anyanwu, mentioned the incident had nothing to do with the Army, because the union chief was not arrested by the Army.
However, efforts to acquire a response from the police had been unsuccessful, because the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, ASP Eno Ikoedem, had but to reply to calls and messages despatched to her as of the time of submitting this report.
