Injured staff of BEDC on hospital bed.
Ovedhe Hezekiah – Warri
A staff of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has been injured and he is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital in Ughelli, Delta State.
BEDC staff was stabbed severally by suspected hoodlums in a clash with band going round as task force.
An eyewitness who rushed the victim to hospital said the BEDC staff was pursued by the hoodlums and was stabbed twice on his head and face, at Okiki Street, Uloho Avenue, Ughelli.
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However, speaking from his hospital bed, the victim, Mr. Samuel Ojomu, alleged that the hoodlums were recruited by the Business Manager, Mr. Bethel to collect illegal funds from unsuspecting customers.
“What happened was that, this morning I received a call from one of my customers that some persons who could not properly identify themselves, saying, they were sent by the Business Manager, have disconnected his light and are demanding for huge sum of money before he will be reconnected.”
“Immediately, I took a bike and went there. When I got to the place, I saw one of our drivers who used to drive the BM, his name is Mr. Paul, but he is called ‘People’ and some other persons who are not our staff. When I confronted them, they said they were task force set up by the BM to monitor what’s happening in the field.”
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“I’m the Reut Marshal covering the area and if there is any such task force at least I should be aware and besides the people I saw are not our staff. I then brought out my phone to snap them and immediately I did that, they attacked me with broken bottle and iron. And that was how I found myself here.”
When contacted, the Business Manager, Mr. Bethel declined comments but refer our correspondent to the Public Affairs Manager who could not be reached as at press time.
Meanwhile, staff of the organisation have accused the Business Manager of running the Unit as a personal business.
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Some staff who spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of being victimized, said the BEDC boss is using his cronies to take over the job of employed staff of the organization.
One of the staff said, “the BM recruit these boys who are not staffs and they go into the network to intimidate and harass unsuspecting customers just to extort money from them and pay returns to him.
“One of them even boasted that they are the ones in charge because they are settling the BM between N40,000 and N80,000.”
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