Residents of Osogbo on Wednesday staged a protest at the Osun Regional Office of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), demanding improved electricity supply and issuing a seven-day ultimatum for the restoration of affected communities to Band A classification.
The protesters gathered at Oke Baale and marched through Station Road before assembling at a designated point and proceeding to the IBEDC Osun Regional Office. The presence of heavily armed security operatives deployed to secure the facility heightened tension as demonstrators chanted solidarity songs and expressed frustration over irregular electricity supply.
The residents warned that failure to restore the affected communities to Band A within seven days would compel them to take lawful and collective actions, including reconsidering the operational access of IBEDC personnel within the communities.
Presenting a formal letter of grievances to the IBEDC Regional Head, Ifeanyi Ikeji, protest leader Akeem Badmus said the march was organised under the aegis of the “United Communities Meeting” held on February 28, 2026. The coalition comprises representatives from Owo-Eba, Garage Ilesa, Tara, Oke-Baale axis, OSBC area, UNIOSUN axis, Air Force Base, Army Depot, Boredun, Coker, Odu, Omu, and other affected areas.
Badmus, who read the letter signed by Sulaiman Buruji, Chairman of United Communities, alongside Atoyebi Akeem, Adebayo Oladepo and Oseni Abidemi, stated that since the reclassification of the communities from Bands A and B to Band C, residents have been subjected to grossly inadequate electricity supply.
“Contrary to the provisions of the Electricity Distribution Service Reflective Tariff framework, which stipulates a minimum of 12 to 16 hours of electricity supply daily for Band C, our communities barely receive an average of four hours per day. In some cases, entire days pass without electricity,” he said.
He added that reports alleging diversion of electricity to the highest bidder had fueled suspicion and dissatisfaction, though the group acknowledged it could not independently verify the claims.
According to the protesters, the impact of the erratic supply has been severe, with small-scale businesses on the verge of collapse and corporate institutions significantly affected. The Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC), they noted, has reportedly been constrained to transmit for less than six hours daily due to inadequate power.
Responding to the protesters, IBEDC Regional Head Ifeanyi Ikeji explained that the affected communities were downgraded from Band A because the company was unable to meet the required supply hours under that classification.
“When customers are placed on Band A, they are entitled to about 20 hours of electricity daily. When we realised we could not consistently meet that obligation, it was unjust to keep them on Band A,” Ikeji said, adding that electricity costs are currently close to N128 per unit.
He clarified that reclassification does not rest solely with IBEDC, as approval for movement to Band A must come from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
“The desire to return you to Band A is there, but the current power constraints will not allow it. Once the situation improves, you will be moved back,” he assured.
The Osogbo protest follows a similar demonstration in Benin, Edo State, where residents recently protested persistent blackouts and concerns over the billing system of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
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