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From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Efforts by officials of the Ossiomo Power Company to restore electricity supply to customers in Benin City and its environs were thwarted after suspected Itsekiri youths in Ologbo community, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, allegedly disrupted the planned activation of the IPP II unit at the Ossiomo gas plant.
The incident reportedly occurred as the company prepared to switch on the power-generating unit as part of efforts to resume electricity supply to its customers following nearly a year of operational shutdown.
Ossiomo Power Company has been unable to operate for almost one year following the alleged illegal takeover of its gas plant by youths in the community. Their actions are reportedly believed to have been influenced by a Chinese firm.
The prolonged disruption has reportedly affected the company’s ability to generate and supply electricity to customers in Benin City and surrounding communities.
When news filtered to some members of the public that the multi-billion naira power company was set to resume the supply of electricity to several thousands of its customers, majority of whom have been in darkness for about 10 months, some civil society groups, including the Talakawa’s Parliament led by Marxist Kola Edokpayi, and some journalists happily mobilised themselves to Ologbo to be part of the epoch making event.
At the site, the placards carrying civil society groups declared their support for Ossiomo Power Company and condemned the vandalization of its facilities by hoodlums, noting that the plant remains critical to the state’s economic and industrial development.
They said electricity is a major driver of development, insisting that the people of Edo State should protect and support initiatives capable of improving power supply and boosting businesses in Edo state in particular and Nigeria in general.
The civil society groups also called for peace and cooperation among stakeholders, saying the focus should be on ensuring that the people have access to reliable electricity which Ossiomo Power Company was providing Nigerians before its operation was forcefully and illegally stopped by the Ologbo youths.
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They urged all stakeholders, especially the people of Ologbo community to support efforts to protect the Ossiomo power facilities in order to ensure its electricity-generating capacity for the benefit of the people.
They also appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo and the Benin monarch to quickly intervene in the matter so that the Ossiomo Power Company can bounce back and resume the supply of electricity to people of the state.
Recall that the giant power company had earlier alleged the vandalization of its 33KV transmission lines and the forceful take-over of its gas station by the suspected Itsekiri youths, even after giving the community nearly N200 million under the firm’s corporate social responsibility (CRS) initiative.
But unfortunately, as the members of the civil society groups were driving out of the area, a large group of irate youths stormed the place in commando style, threatening fire and brimstone.
They held everyone hostage for nearly an hour, fuming that the visitors dared to visit the area without their authorisation, insisting that only visitors to the Chinese firm would be welcome.
The unruly youths who blocked the only exit road would have heavily descended on the journalists and members of the civil society groups if not for the timely intervention of the security personnel posted to protect the property of Ossiomo Power Company.
However, the fierce looking youths still in their show of shame, rough handled some people including a journalist, an Ossiomo Power Company’s driver and a security personnel from the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The rampaging youths claimed that they were acting on behalf of their community and the state government, even as one enraged youth shouted in a loud voice and said: “If the governor (Senator Monday Okpebholo) hears you people are here, you people will not leave here in peace.”
Reports have it that the particular group youths have a history of attacking people including security personnel without any repercussions, thereby giving credence to the fact that they have backing of some highly placed people in authority, and therefore behave like people who are above the laws of the land.
