The people of Niger State and in neighbouring states are panicked over the January 5 deadline given by some youths in the state to the Abuja Electricity Development Company (AEDC) to improve its services by ensuring uninterrupted supply of electricity for 24 hours daily or face the consequences.
Consequently, the security operatives in the state and the government are gripped with fear by the threat because similar threat to occupy AEDC offices issued by the youths was carried out and it resulted in four-day blackout in Minna and environs last December.
Their threat to blow up the three hydroelectric dams in the state over the persistent decline in electricity has not been taken lightly by the security operatives who have started guarding the electricity installations, including the Jebba, Kainji and Shiroro hydroelectric dams.
Convener of the group, Mohammed Saidu Etsu, told journalists in Minna at the weekend that “AEDC has not met our demands so we will carry out our actions including blowing up of the hydroelectric dams in the state.
According to him, “We will begin sit-out at the Shiroro Transmission Station in Minna from Monday, and our members throughout the state will occupy all AEDC offices to show that we are serious about our demands.”
He asked the people of the state to “join us in this project. For once, we should stand up for our right.”
Etsu declared that “instead of the AEDC to meet our demands, we are retrogressing, resulting in all businesses collapsing; investors refusing to invest in the state, unemployment increasing by the day.
“We learnt that the government has met with the AEDC officials and reach agreement with them; the government has not briefed us, if we have to change our position, the government must be ready to be held accountable, and assure us that AEDC will give 24-hour supply of electricity.”
The #YouthleadNigeria, he said, would also this week institute a N100 billion suit against the AEDC to “recover the amount illegally made from our people as a result of estimated billings over the years’ compensation for families who lost their loved ones and property as a result of power surge around the state and others.”
Etsu categorically denied that the group was being sponsored by some people in the state, insisting that “what we are doing is a just cause.”
