Youths in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Council of Kwara State, at the weekend staged a protest over what they described as “outrageous billing” by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), following a sudden shift in the community’s electricity billing classification from Band C to Bands B and A.
The protest, which was led by two masquerades, saw residents wielding placards and barricading major streets in the town, including Olomu and Latinwo Market areas, the Olomu palace, and the IBEDC office at the Omu-Aran City Complex.
The protesters alleged that the reclassification to Band A was the reason behind the steep rise in their electricity bills for March 2025, with some residents reportedly charged between N41,000 and N47,000, compared to the previous rates of N10,000 to N15,000.
They also blocked the Omu-Aran-Kabba and Omu-Aran-Otun-Ekiti highways, disrupting traffic for hours. The demonstrators vowed to continue the protest until IBEDC and community leaders address their demands.
In a joint statement, President of Omu-Aran Development Association, Mr Niyi Adeyeye, and Elder Ranti Adebayo listed the protesters’ demands. These include the replacement of faulty transformers affecting power supply in parts of the community, reversal of the Band A classification back to Band C, suspension of current Band A charges, a review of the billing regime to reflect previous rates, and an independent assessment of IBEDC’s service delivery in the town. (Guardian)