April 20, 2018

The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), says its facility in Kom-Kom, in Oyibo Local Government Area of Rivers shutdown by irate youth, will result in blackout.

Mr John Onyi, PHEDC’s Manager, Corporate Communication made this known in a statement on Friday in Port Harcourt.

He said that the two staff members of the company taken hostage by the protesters have been in captivity since Wednesday.

He appealed to the relevant authorities to ensure that the angry youths reopen its facility and release the abducted staff, saying that several efforts to secure their release has been unsuccessful.

“Residents and businesses receiving power supply from Kom-Kom Injection Sub-Station in Oyibo Local Government Area of Rivers are by this notice warned that they would experience blackout.

“The blackout is not unconnected with action of Oyibo Urban Youth Association who attacked and shut down the Injection Sub-Station.

Onyi said the protesters had forcefully switched on an electric feeder that was put off earlier for routine maintenance.

“It was an act of fate that at the time the feeder was forcefully switched on; our technicians were minutes away from carrying out a maintenance job (in another facility).

“It would have been a different story if our technical crew had commenced routine maintenance in one of our other facilities when the protesters turned on the feeder,” he said.

Onyi said that the incident has been reported to the police in the area for necessary action.

He said the protesters had in January dropped fetish items and casket at PHEDC’s office over load shedding in the area.

According to him, the frequent attack on its workers and shut down of its facilities was fast becoming a social menace that needed to be handled by the authorities.

“Residents have the right to protest but not to take the operations of an injection sub-station on high voltage and disregarding safety of lives and properties.

“We call on opinion leaders in the area to wade into the matter and restrain their children from taking laws into their hands,” Onyi said.