Electricity workers in Osun state on Monday have disconnected Osogbo, the state capital from the national grid as Air force personnel brutalised staff of Transmission Company of Nigeria on official duty.
It was gathered that the TCN workers were on official duty at Oke-Baale area of the state capital on Monday to clear illegal structure under high tension lines when the military personnel, whose barrack was located in the area, descended on them.
According to eyewitnesses in the area, three of the TCN staffs were beaten by the Air force personnel while two interns attached to them escaped and reported the incident at their office along Ikirun road.
An eye witness, Olalekan Ismail said apart from the officials that were beaten, the Hilux vehicle that took the workers to the area for duty was also vandalized.
Consequently, the TCN office in Osogbo disconnected the town and its environs from the National grid pending an apology from the Air force.
A statement issued by the workers under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) signed by its Vice President (West), Comrade Sadiq Adewale, stated that the disconnection was ordered due to the brutality meted on its members by the Air force personnel.
He said Staff were brutalized simply because they were trying to ensure proper adherence to Right-of-Way and discourage building structures under transmission lines.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) said it emphatically that the Air Force must reign-in the activities of its men in Osogbo and Osun State in general by guaranteeing the safety of Electricity workers, most especially, lines men who move around the towns and bushes to make sure electricity lines and towers are well secured.
“The action of the Nigerian Air force must be condemned by the government with the issuance of a public apology. Also, an undertaken to forestall future occurrence must be signed to that effect.
“The Air Force as an arm of military organization, who is supposed to maintain high standard level of safety towards securing government assets and infrastructure has turned out to be an agent, encouraging violation of TCN’s Right-of-Way and allowing unauthorized structures under transmission lines”, he said.
He added that the Air force must apologise and write an undertaken assuring of its staff safety during routine patrols.
“We damand that the Nigeria Air Force should write to apologize to the affected Staff and TCN. Sign an undertaken that TCN Staff can safely carry out their routine patrol without fear of molestation, assault or harassment while on official duty.
“The Nigeria Air Force should be responsible for the treatment of affected Staff and the Federal Government Hilux Vehicle that was damaged during this heinous activity be fixed by the Air force”, he added.
