Officials of the Imo State Government on Wednesday demolished the Orlu District office of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), causing confusion and uproar among staff and residents.

According to reports, government officials arrived at the EEDC premises around 8:30 am with an excavator and immediately began demolishing the property, starting from the back fence before proceeding to destroy the store, cash office, and security house.

Mr. Emeka Ezeh, Head of Corporate Communications at EEDC, expressed shock over the incident, stating that no prior notice or communication was given to the company regarding the demolition. Staff members were reportedly prevented from salvaging any personal or company property and were allegedly manhandled by security operatives accompanying the government officials.

"This development is quite disturbing as there is no known reason for the action, nor was there any notice or communication made to EEDC in that regard. Rather, we were told that they were acting under the directive of the state government," Ezeh said in a statement.

In a more troubling development, the District Business Manager and an operations staff member who attempted to resist the demolition and inquire about its purpose were allegedly assaulted and taken to Owerri by a special security squad known as 'Tiger Base.'

The EEDC has requested an explanation from the Imo State Government, questioning why an office premises they have occupied for over two decades was suddenly demolished without warning.

Sources claim that the Chairman of Orlu Local Government Area, Hon. Chris Mbaeri, personally witnessed the demolition, though his role in the operation remains unclear.

As of the time of this report, the Imo State Government has not issued any official statement regarding the reasons behind the demolition or the alleged assault on EEDC staff members.

This incident raises concerns about property rights and due process in government actions, particularly as it affects essential service providers like electricity distribution companies.