A former staff of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Samuel Ojumu has petitioned the management of the company, seeking N10 million damages for what he described as maltreatment and unlawful dismissal from the company.
Ojumu had put in three years as a staff of the company before he was sacked in August this year.
In the petition written on his behalf by his counsel and rights activist, Kingsley Otoghile, stated that the N10 million would be cost of medical bills for suspected brain damaged and ongoing treatments.
Ojumu, in an interview, alleged that he was attacked five months ago in the line of duty at Okiki street, Uloho Avenue in Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State by suspected agents of the company.
Narrating his ordeal, Ojumu said, on June 13, 2020 I received a call from a customer in the area that some unknown persons are disconnecting light and as the Reut Marshall in charge of the area, I boarded a bike to the place.
“When I got there, I saw the driver to the Business Manager and one other person who was not a staff. When I confronted them, they said, they were task force set up by the BM to monitor whatever thing that is happening in the field.
“I told them that I am the Reut Marshal and if there are task force, I should be on the known. I brought my phone to snap them and in that process, I was attacked with broken bottles and other dangerous weapons, injuring me and I was rushed to a private hospital.
“The management of the company waded into the issue and after their investigations, through Patrick Ukpede Adah, I was exonerated that I was on official duties at my route.- by
Paul Osuyi, Asaba
