Commercial and business activities were brought to a halt across parts of Anambra State on Thursday as members of the Nigerian Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) staged a widespread protest against the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) over the alleged arrest and continued detention of five of their colleagues.

The protest, whichh took place simultaneously at EEDC district offices in Onitsha, Awka, Ogidi, Ogbaru, and other locations, disrupted operations and denied access to customers, as the workers demanded the immediate release of their detained colleagues ? one of whom is a woman.

The detained staff were reportedly picked up on July 31 by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force, allegedly on the orders of EEDC management, and held at the Awkuzu SARS facility without initial disclosure of their location to family members or colleagues.

Speaking to journalists, the Chairman of NUEE in Anambra State, Comrade Ndukwu Emeka Bonaventure, described the arrests as unlawful and unjust, adding that the union had to physically visit police formations across the state before finally locating the detained workers five days after their disappearance.

?They resumed for duty and were invited for a meeting by a top management staff, only to be arrested and detained incommunicado. Their families didn?t know where they were. We discovered them at the Awkuzu detention facility after several days of searching,? Bonaventure said.

?Our members are not criminals. If there are allegations of misconduct, due process must be followed. These arbitrary arrests are unacceptable.?

The protesting workers carried placards with messages such as: ?Release our members unlawfully detained,? ?Electricity workers say no to intimidation and harassment,? and ?Stop slavery of your workers.?

Beyond the arrests, the workers also decried what they described as poor working conditions, inadequate welfare, and a toxic work environment across EEDC?s operational areas in the South-East.

The Vice Chairman of NUEE in Anambra, Friday Idoko, recounted a personal experience of being nearly electrocuted on the job.

?Two weeks ago, I was hospitalised for a week after a near-fatal shock while on duty. No one from management called to check on me. We?ve lost colleagues to this job, and nothing is done for their families,? he said.

?We know they [EEDC] are using their influence over the police, but this must stop. We demand the release of our members or we will abandon the work.?

NUEE members vowed to continue their protest peacefully and lawfully until their demands are met, while reiterating that they do not condone fraud or misconduct, but that proper internal disciplinary mechanisms must be adhered to.

Efforts to reach the Head of Corporate Communications at EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, for a reaction were unsuccessful, as he declined to comment at the time of filing this report. (Vanguard)

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