Follow Us on Google
From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Protest rocked Osogbo, Osun State capital on Friday as about 50 communities stormed the regional office of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) over disconnection of their electricity by the company.
The protesters accused IBEDC of subjecting their communities to business loss, describing the action as uncalled for.
Speaking on behalf of the protester, Dapo Onanuga, a resident of Ayegbami community, said the communities were agitated by the disconnection of their light by the IBEDC.
“In my community, we are connected to Idi-oro transformer. For some time now, we have been disconnected. During the Ramadan festival, it happens like that and it was resolved.
“It is unreasonable to put those in postpaid and prepaid in a category. It is not done anywhere. Those in prepaid have paid and they are yet to use their light. By the time we came here to let them understand, they insisted that until they give us the list and go to the people to ask them and we say no. It is not possible. We are not your staff. We don’t have the right to go to any place to ask for money.
“I think Nigerians have had enough of this suffering and that is why this agitation is going on,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the state government has expressed fear and called for an immediate resolution to avoid unnecessary escalation, warning that the protest must not degenerate.
A statement by the spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, said “The state government is also concerned about the likely breakdown of law and order, as there are pockets of protests from the affected communities.
“The state government hereby calls on the two parties to consider an alternative dispute resolution method, as the blackout might also lead to an increase in insecurity among the affected communities and shutdown of business activities.
“The IBEDC is encouraged to reconnect the communities to power supply while an immediate solution is found to the question of huge debt owed by the affected communities.
“Immediate resolution of the issue will put an end to the ongoing protests. We cannot afford to allow such protests to be hijacked by unscrupulous elements in pursuance of their nefarious activities.
“We are committed to brokering a peaceful negotiation between the management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, and the stakeholders from the affected communities,” the government said.
