6 days Ago By Our Reporters
Residents of Apete, a community in Ibadan, Oyo State, have voiced their frustration over the persistent epileptic power supply in the area, which they say has lasted for over three years. PUNCH Metro reports that the residents staged a protest on Monday, demanding urgent intervention by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company. The protesters lamented that electricity is supplied only briefly, often once a week, and at a voltage too low to power appliances.
In a video seen by PUNCH Metro, protesters carried placards with messages expressing their grievances. One of the protesters, identified only as Victor, decried the erratic nature of the power supply in the community. “We get electricity supply once a week, and this does not last more than one hour.
Sometimes, we experience blackout for an entire week and when restored, it lasts about 45 minutes,” he said. Another protester, simply identified Dimeji, over the phone with our correspondent on Monday, accused the power distribution company of billing residents unfairly despite inadequate power supply. Related News Police arrest kidnap kingpin, kill four in Delta PDP govs in Ibadan to decide Anyanwu’s fate, others Police arrest two for stealing electric cable in Yobe “Even with this terrible power supply, our electricity bills keep increasing.
The distribution officials never fail to show up when it’s time to collect payment,” he claimed. He also alleged that some sections of Apete enjoy round-the-clock electricity while others are left in darkness. “We are being cheated.
Some parts of Apete have a 24-hour power supply, but it doesn’t get to us. We’ve had no stable light for years,” he said. In a short video clip seen by our correspondent, the Divisional Police Officer of Apete, Hakeem Ayodeji, addressed the protesting residents, urging them to ensure that the demonstration remained peaceful and not hijacked by troublemakers.
“Just try to make it peaceful,” Ayodeji appealed. “Don’t allow people who did not plan this protest with you to join you so that the protest will not turn into something else. And I believe it shall be peaceful,” he added, cautioning against any potential escalation of the situation.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the IBEDC, Busolami Tunwase, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages to her mobile phone had not been responded to as of the time of filing this report..
