Aggrieved customers attack BEDC worker, engineer in Benin

Aggrieved customers in Evbuotubu in Benin, Edo State have unleashed an attack on a worker and an engineer of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company PLC (BEDC).

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TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Line Worker [names withheld] in a BEDC team was badly beaten and an engineer [names withheld] of the electricity company was held hostage.

It was gathered that as a result of the attack, the worker sustained serious fractures on both legs and was said to have suffered psychological trauma.

The engineer, on the other hand, who was held hostage, was only released following the intervention by law enforcement agents.

TNG reports the management of BEDC on Monday confirmed the incident and described the attack as unprovoked.

The attack was confirmed in a statement signed by the company’s Acting Head, Corporate Affairs Department, Mrs Evelyn Gbiwen, and made available to newsmen in Benin.

Gbiwen said the management had declared zero tolerance for brutal assault of BEDC staff in line of duty, adding that any customer who perpetrated such act would henceforth be prosecuted.

“The attention of Management of BEDC has been drawn to the alarming rate of brutal assault on its staff in the line of duty by customers who deem themselves to be above the law.

“Recently, there was unprovoked, near fatal assault of a Line Worker in a team and the unlawful hostage holding of an engineer who led the team against his will, at Evbuotubu in Benin

“As a result of the attack, the worker sustained serious fracture on both legs and severe psychological trauma.

“The engineer, who was held hostage, was only released following intervention of law enforcement agents,” she said.

According to Gbiwen, the management of BEDC strongly condemns the actions of the customers and warned against future attacks of staff on lawful duties

she appealed to aggrieved customers to always make use of customer service and other legitimate channels to air their grievances, instead of engaging in violence.

She said that BEDC was fully committed to providing quality service to its esteemed customers at all times.