By Tochukwu Eluwa-Delta
A staff of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) is currently battling for his life at a private hospital in Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, after being stabbed severally by suspected hoodlums. According to an eye witness who rushed the victim to a nearby hospital, the victim was chased by the hoodlums and stabbed twice on his head and face before leaving him on his pool of blood to battle for his life at Okiki Street, Uloho Avenue, Ughelli.
The victim Samuel Ojomu who spoke to AFNEWS correspondent from his hospital bed, while narrating his ordeal said, the hoodlums were recruited by the Business Manager, Mr. Bethel to collect illegal funds from unsuspecting customers. He said, “what happened was that, this morning he received a call from one of the BEDC subscribers that some persons who could not properly identify themselves rather than they were sent by the Business Manager have disconnected his light and are demanding for huge sum of money before he will be reconnected.
He said he Immediately took a bike and went there. According to him “When I got to the place, I saw one of our driver who use to drive the BM, his name is Mr. Paul but he is called ‘People’ and some other persons who are not our staffs. When I confronted them, they said they were taskforce set up by the BM to monitor what’s happening in the field.
“I’m the Reut Marshal covering the area the victim futher narrated and if there is any such taskforce 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 refered all inquiries to the Public Affairs Manager who could not be reached as at press time.Meanwhile, staffs of the organization have accused the Business Manager of running the Unit as a personal business.
Some of the staffs who spoke to AFNEWS 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 staffs 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,they said.
