Agents of the Kaduna State Police Command’s Rigasa Division have identified and taken into custody a middle-aged man who was shown in a widely shared video clip brandishing a potentially lethal weapon and beating employees of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDCO).
The culprit, named as Inspector Aminu Yahaya Bidda of the Tudun Wada Police Station in Kaduna City, was observed abusing the victim and attempting multiple times to attack other DisCo personnel with a knife.
Through a petition to the Police Commissioner, Kaduna Electric had formally reported the issue to the State Police Command. The petition asked for Inspector Aminu Yahaya Bidda to be detained, looked into, and charged with assault, attempted murder, intimidating personnel, and harassment.
In addition to asking the police commissioner to step in and guarantee the safety of its employees so they can perform their lawful official duties in the area without interference, Kaduna Electric also requested that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for a comprehensive investigation.
The action of the police officer was not only illegal but also potentially dangerously precedent-setting and a serious threat to the precarious peace that the State is currently enjoying, according to a statement signed by Abdulazeez Abdullahi, Head, Corporate Communications, KAEDCO, Kaduna Electric.
“The action of the Police Officer, to say the least, is in sharp contrast with the law and Police code of conduct; the relevant Police Authority shall be petitioned for appropriate administrative actions and subsequent prosecution,” the statement said.
Additionally, it stated that when conducting a routine inspection of his pre-paid meter at his home on Rimaye Road in Hayin Danmani, Inspector Bidda “viciously attacked the staff of the Company on lawful duty.”
Only twice this year has the customer vended for electricity, according to the DisCo’s research.
According to witnesses, Kaduna Electric employees had visited the police officer’s residence to check his meter for potential bypass. When the police, who was clearly furious as seen in the viral video, brandished a knife and repeatedly tried to strike the power worker in the head, things quickly got out of control. It was lucky for the employee to not have suffered any injuries. Regretfully, a bystander who attempted to step in ended up with real injuries to his leg.
The violent event has spurred conversations about utility workers’ safety and the difficulties they encounter in enforcing laws.
