Angry Ekiti Youths Beat Benin Electricity Distribution Company ''BEDC'' Officials

                    Some youths in Ipole Iloro-Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State, on Saturday manhandled workers of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, who came to the area for payment verification and disconnection.             The BEDC covers Edo, Ondo, Delta states and some parts of Ekiti State.           PUNCH Metro gathered that the exercise was going on smoothly until the BEDC employees disconnected the electricity cable of a defaulting house where a young man, identified as Ade Obele, resided.
The situation was said to have annoyed Obele, who mobilised some youths in the area to disrupt the activities of the workers of the electricity firm.

An eyewitness, who spoke with our correspondent, said the youths were led by a vulcaniser, identified as Baba Eji.


The eyewitness added that as the BEDC officials made to flee the area upon sighting the angry youths, Baba Eji pounced on the leader of the team, Mr. Folorunsho Oderinde, who is the marketing officer, Erijiyan Service Centre, Aramoko-Ekiti Unit.

The eyewitness said, ‘‘Baba Eji was holding a stick which he used to drag Oderinde by the neck. He also ruffled his shirt and slapped him. Many people in the community cheered while the assault lasted. Other officials were also beaten up.

‘’The ladder which they came with to carry out the disconnection was damaged. An alfa (muslim cleric)in the area hailed the harassment of the workers because he said they were fond of disconnecting houses with unsettled bills from power source.’’

PUNCH Metro gathered that the matter was reported at the palace of the Olupole of Ipole Iloro, Oba Babatola Oladele, who condemned the act.

The officials, our correspondent learnt, also reported the matter to the police in the Erijiyan Police Post.

The police were said to have seized the vulcanising machine of Baba Eji and arrested the wife of the alfa when both men fled.

It was further learnt that the police later released the wife of the fleeing alfa and vowed to apprehend all those involved in the attack.

According to a source in the area, a similar incident occurred last month at Oke-Oja and Anaye Street in Aramoko-Ekiti.

Attempts to speak with Oderinde were abortive as his number was not reachable.

When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer, Aramoko Police Station overseeing Erijiyan Police Post, Mr. Olusegun Atanda, confirmed the incident.

He stated that the matter had been brought to his attention when our correspondent spoke with him on the telephone.