Electricity workers protest against Assembly deputy speaker

Electricity workers in Kaduna, under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) protested the alleged arrest and torture on Wednesday of some of the workers by the Deputy Speaker of Kaduna State House of Assembly for disconnecting power supply in his residence following default in the payment of electricity bill.

Besides, following the arrest of their colleagues, the NUEE members stormed the residence of the Deputy Speaker of Kaduna State House of Assembly, Mr. John Audu, protesting what they described as illegal arrest, detention and torture of two of the electricity workers by the principal lawmaker.

Leading the protest, Assistant General Secretary (North West) of NUEE, Moses Amedu said that their members, Danjuma Stephen and Olabode Olabundiri were at the Deputy Speaker’s house to perform their legal duty when they were illegally arrested.

He explained: “We are here in the Kaduna State Deputy Speaker’s house, Honourable John Audu who yesterday got the police at his disposal and went to our office located at Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, intimidated, arrested, bullied and dragged our men to police station for further torture.”

The Deputy Speaker, Audu who spoke through a civil engineer who handled the construction of the house, Ahmadu Illiya, said the NUEE members were out to tarnish his image as payment of the bills are up to date, yet these electricity staff did not only disconnect the light, they also went away with the cables without any prior information of the action they took.