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The Benue State Government has stepped up efforts to end a multi-day electricity blackout that has disrupted homes, businesses, hospitals, and public services across the state, particularly in Makurdi.
On Saturday, October 24, 2026, the administration confirmed that Governor Hyacinth Alia ordered urgent action and that talks are underway with Jos Electricity Distribution Plc (JED), security agencies, and other stakeholders to restore supply.
The outage is not a routine technical fault. It stems from a sharp confrontation between the distribution company and individuals linked by JED to a dispute over power connections at Government House and the State House of Assembly.
How the Dispute Escalated
According to JED, on Wednesday, October 21, roughly 50 people identifying themselves as Benue youths forced their way into the company’s office along Otukpo Road in Makurdi around 1:17 p.m. The company said the group confronted management over the alleged illegal connection of Government House to a refurbished 2MVA 33/11kV transformer that also supplies the State House of Assembly.
Staff were allegedly assaulted and molested; 10 personnel were abducted; and four operational vehicles plus technical equipment were taken. The workers and property were released later that afternoon only after the contested transformer was forcibly reconnected.
JED further recalled a similar episode on September 3, 2026, when its staff on routine inspection were reportedly held at Government House after detecting a meter bypass and were compelled to restore the connection before being freed.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) backed the company’s account, alleging that the attackers—described as armed with guns and machetes—took the Benue State Operating Officer, Samson Abah, and other staff to the River Benue bridge area, where they were assaulted, had phones and belongings seized, and were pressured for money before being forced to energise what the union called an illegally installed transformer.
Government’s Response
Benue State has rejected the allegations as unfounded and baseless. In a statement on Saturday, Commissioner for Information and Orientation Chief Solomon Iorpev said the government had already clearly stated its position on the events that led to the disconnection and maintains that claims linking it to violence lack evidence.
He stressed that regulatory issues such as transformer energisation and metering should be handled through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and, if necessary, the courts—not through inflammatory public statements or confrontation.
At the same time, the government condemned any attacks on individuals or institutions. “Anyone who unlawfully harms or intimidates workers, or damages property, will face the full weight of the law,” Iorpev said. Security agencies have been directed to conduct a full, thorough, and impartial investigation to establish the facts while negotiations continue.
Governor Alia has ordered that the matter be resolved without delay. The government is engaging JED, the electricity workers’ union, and security agencies, and has offered assurances that staff can discharge their duties safely. It has appealed to JED and the union to prioritise the welfare of ordinary residents by restoring power while grievances are addressed through dialogue.
“The Benue State Government is deeply aware of the hardship that the interruption of electricity supply has caused our people. Families, traders, artisans, students, hospitals and small businesses are all affected, and we feel your pain,” the statement read. Residents have been urged to remain peaceful and patient, avoid taking the law into their own hands, protect electricity infrastructure, and report suspicious activity to security agencies. The government pledged to keep the public updated and reaffirmed its commitment to residents’ welfare, security, and dignity.
Impact on Residents and the Wider Context
By Friday and Saturday, the blackout had entered its third day in parts of Makurdi.
Residents reported intense heat, spoiled goods in cold rooms, halted small businesses, difficulties charging phones and devices needed for work and communication, and disrupted hospital and educational activities. Some business owners and community voices called for swift resolution, with at least one resident warning of peaceful sit-outs at JED offices if power was not restored soon.
The episode sits against a backdrop of longstanding electricity challenges in Benue and the wider JED franchise area (which also covers Plateau, Bauchi, and Gombe). Distribution companies across Nigeria frequently cite low revenue collection, meter bypassing, energy theft, and vandalism as obstacles to reliable service.
Earlier in 2026, JED had publicly noted that Benue customers owed tens of billions of naira in cumulative bills, with collection rates far below consumption. Infrastructure problems—faulty relays, limited national grid allocation, and transmission line issues—have also contributed to prolonged outages and load-shedding in previous years.
Political reactions have been sharp. A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue condemned the alleged assault and abduction, linked the incident to the blackout, called for an apology from the Alia administration, urged settlement of verified government electricity debts, and raised concerns about political thuggery.
Broader Implications
This confrontation highlights recurring tensions in Nigeria’s electricity sector between distribution companies enforcing technical and commercial rules and powerful consumers—including government institutions—resisting disconnection or metering changes. When such disputes turn physical, ordinary citizens pay the price through blackouts that hit the most vulnerable hardest: small traders, artisans, students preparing for exams, and patients in health facilities.
For sustainable resolution, several steps appear necessary: transparent investigation of the October 21 events with clear findings made public; structured dialogue under NERC oversight on the specific technical and billing issues at Government House; guarantees of safety for utility workers; and broader efforts to improve metering, reduce commercial losses, and protect critical infrastructure from vandalism and theft.
Community sensitisation against energy theft and attacks on workers would also help break the cycle of disruption.
As of Saturday evening, negotiations were continuing and the government had publicly committed to prioritising restoration. Residents of Benue continue to wait for the lights to return while hoping the underlying dispute is settled through institutions rather than force. The outcome will test both the capacity of state authorities and the distribution company to protect public interest amid commercial and political pressures.
Sources drawn from official statements by the Benue State Government, JED Plc, NUEE, and contemporaneous reporting by Premium Times, Tribune Online, Punch, TVC News, Galaxy Television, and other outlets covering the October 21–24 developments.
Samuel O. Sulaimon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Naijapiz. He covers Global, News, Sports, Finance, Faiths, Education, Politics and Technology.
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