This post has already been read at least 1175 times!
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has come under scrutiny following allegations that some of its personnel attached to the Bauchi Operations Base invaded the Bauchi State Head Office of Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc, allegedly took away some electricity workers and forced the reconnection of power to NAF residential quarters over an outstanding electricity debt of N196.7 million.
The alleged incident reportedly occurred on Friday, September 18, 2026, at JED’s office in the GRA area of Bauchi, four days after the electricity distribution company disconnected power to NAF residential quarters along Ningi Road over what it described as prolonged non-payment of electricity bills.
JED, in a statement issued by its management and reported by The Guardian, said the outstanding electricity bill attributed to the NAF facility stood at N196,730,844, representing about two per cent of the total outstanding debt profile within its Bauchi franchise.
The company said the disconnection was carried out in accordance with applicable regulatory and operational procedures after repeated failure to settle accumulated electricity bills.
However, the situation allegedly escalated on September 18 when NAF personnel arrived at the JED State Head Office and took away the company’s State Operating Officer, Mr Samaila Isa Bukar, alongside an unspecified number of meter installers who were reportedly at the premises for activities under the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP).
According to JED, the affected personnel were conveyed in Air Force vehicles to the disconnected NAF residential quarters.
The electricity company further alleged that some of the meter installers were physically assaulted at the quarters, while Bukar was allegedly threatened with further assault unless electricity supply was restored.
JED also alleged that the mobile phones of the affected workers were seized and that they were warned against recording or documenting what was taking place.
The company said the workers were eventually released after they were allegedly compelled to restore electricity supply to the NAF residential quarters.
JED described the alleged action as an unacceptable use of force and intimidation, arguing that disagreements between public institutions and regulated entities should be resolved through regulatory, administrative or legal channels rather than through physical intervention.
The company said it considered the alleged use of force, intimidation, physical assault and seizure of personal devices inconsistent with the standards expected in resolving disputes between government institutions and regulated entities.
Contents
Labour Union Raises Alarm
The development has also triggered concern within the organised electricity workers’ community, with the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) reportedly raising alarm over the safety of its members.
The union’s position is that electricity workers should not be subjected to intimidation or physical harm in the course of carrying out their statutory and professional responsibilities.
The development has consequently introduced a labour dimension into what initially appeared to be a dispute over an electricity bill, with concerns that failure to guarantee the safety of workers could affect operations at the affected JED facility.
NAF Yet to Respond
As of the latest reports available to The Street Reporters Newspaper, the Nigerian Air Force had not issued a substantive public response to the allegations.
The NAF spokesperson in Bauchi, Friday Ogili John, reportedly acknowledged the allegations and indicated that the Air Force would respond. However, no substantive response had been made public at the time of the latest published reports.
The absence of an official response means that the allegations of physical assault, intimidation, seizure of phones, removal of JED personnel from their workplace and forced reconnection remain allegations made by JED and echoed by labour representatives, rather than established findings following an independent investigation.
A Dispute That Raises Wider Questions
Beyond the immediate confrontation, the incident raises broader questions about how disputes between public institutions, security agencies and electricity distribution companies are handled in Nigeria.
At the heart of the controversy is the reported N196.73 million electricity debt, the legality of the disconnection, the circumstances surrounding the alleged removal of JED employees from their workplace and whether any government or security institution should resort to physical force in resolving a commercial or regulatory dispute.
The answers to those questions will depend on documentary and independent evidence, including the electricity account and billing history, notices issued before the disconnection, correspondence between JED and the NAF, records of the September 18 incident, CCTV footage from the JED premises and statements from the affected employees.
Any medical records documenting alleged injuries would also be relevant, as would any formal complaint or investigation subsequently initiated by the appropriate authorities.
Why the Allegations Matter
The incident is particularly significant because electricity distribution is a regulated activity and disputes involving electricity supply, billing and disconnection ordinarily have established administrative and regulatory channels.
JED’s account suggests that the company regarded the disconnection as an enforcement action arising from an accumulated debt, while the alleged response by NAF personnel raises questions about the limits of institutional power when a government establishment disagrees with an action taken by a regulated utility.
For the workers allegedly taken from the JED office, the central issue is even more immediate: whether employees of a civilian electricity distribution company can safely perform their duties when disagreements arise with powerful public institutions.
The National Union of Electricity Employees has reportedly warned that workers could withdraw from the affected office if adequate assurances concerning their safety are not provided.
The Unanswered Questions
Several questions therefore remain unanswered.
Was the N196.73 million debt validly billed and outstanding?
Were all required notices served before the September 14 disconnection?
Did NAF personnel actually enter the JED premises and remove the company’s employees?
Where were the workers taken?
Were any of them physically assaulted?
Were their mobile phones seized?
Who ordered the alleged reconnection?
And, most importantly, what is the Nigerian Air Force’s account of what happened on September 18?
Until those questions are answered, the allegations should be treated with appropriate caution.
However, the fact that a major electricity distribution company has publicly alleged that armed personnel of a military establishment invaded its office and removed employees is itself a matter that warrants transparent investigation.
The reported silence from the Air Force since the allegations emerged leaves a significant gap in the public record.
For an incident involving allegations of unlawful entry, detention, intimidation, physical assault and the forced restoration of electricity, that gap can only be properly addressed through a clear response from the Nigerian Air Force and, where necessary, an independent investigation capable of establishing what actually occurred.
The Street Reporters Newspaper will continue to monitor the matter, including any official response from the Nigerian Air Force, the position of the electricity workers’ union and any intervention by relevant regulatory or law-enforcement authorities.
This post has already been read at least 1175 times!
