Apete, Awotan, Other Communities Seek Immediate Reconnection of Electricity After 2 Months Blackout From IBEDC

Residents of Ajibode-Apete—Awotan-Araromi-Akufo and environs of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, have called on the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to ensure immediate reconnection of electricity after over two (2) months of straight blackout in the affected areas.

The residents, under the aegis of Ajibode-Apete-Awotan-Araromi-Akufo and Environs Developmental Pressure Group, who made the call during a press conference held on Thursday, 26th June, 2025 urged the distribution company to retract the false allegations allegedly levelled against the communities, claiming threats against their staff members.

Recall that IBEDC, in a circular shared on their X handle on the 11th of June, had raised several allegations, including a request for a Band A feeder, assault, and death threats to their staff in the affected areas.

The President of these community and pressure group, Engr. Rasak Fabayo, while addressing newsmen, noted that the environment had been suffering epileptic power supply for many years, which has seriously affected business productivity and the standard of living of residents. He further stated that students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, and the University of Ibadan who reside in these areas have also been affected by the irregular power supply.

He lamented that the root of the problem lies in the lack of adequate power infrastructure and maintenance, citing that cables serving over 18 transformers were carted away by officers of the distribution company.

“IBEDC claimed we are on Band E, which is expected to get electricity ranging between four to eight hours a day. We cannot even describe the band we are on — we rarely have up to 8 hours of light a week.

“The whole affected communities are meant to be on two feeders, but one of the feeders — the Eleyele feeder — was made to serve VIPs only, while the weak Samonda feeder was left to serve us. Many years ago, this served over 75 kilometres, but our communities have widened since then, and more transformers have been erected on the same feeder, which is already weak,” he said.

The residents recounted that on the 10th of May, 2025, members of the affected communities staged a peaceful protest to the IBEDC office in Apete. He added that the protest was carried out under the heavy presence of the police, led by the DPO, and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Fabayo insisted that the protest was aimed solely at registering the long-standing grievances of the residents over epileptic power supply and the lack of quality service delivery by the distribution company for several years.

The release reads in part:

“On May 10, 2025, members of our community — acting within their constitutional rights — staged a peaceful protest to the IBEDC office in Apete. This protest was conducted in the full presence and protection of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The protest was peaceful, orderly, and focused solely on registering our long-standing grievances over epileptic power supply and lack of service delivery by IBEDC for several years, despite the community’s consistent payments and numerous written complaints.

“Instead of addressing the issues raised, IBEDC responded in the most draconian and retaliatory manner: they disconnected the entire AJIBODE-APETE-AWOTAN-ARAROMI & ENVIRONS from electricity supply, throwing thousands of homes, businesses, and students — especially from the University of Ibadan and The Polytechnic, Ibadan — into darkness.

“They shut down their Apete office, thereby cutting off the only access point for our residents to lodge complaints, resolve billing issues, and engage with their officials.

“Most disturbingly, they began to spread false claims in the media and public spaces that their office was closed due to threats to the lives of their staff. We state emphatically and for the record: There was no violence. There was no threat. There was no attack.

“The protest was peaceful, monitored by security agencies, and marked by civility.

We view the disconnection and the subsequent spread of falsehood as a calculated attempt to blackmail the community, avoid accountability, and punish innocent residents for exercising their civic rights. This action by IBEDC not only violates the principles of fairness and customer protection but also runs afoul of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Customer Protection Regulations.”

The affected communities, in a long list of eight (8) demands, called on the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to ensure the immediate reconnection of power supply, resumption of quality service delivery, and restoration of customer access.

The group further requested a full investigation into the actions of the officials involved in the disconnection, adding that a sanction and regulatory punishment be imposed on erring officers.

“The AJIBODE-APETE-AWOTAN-ARAROMI & ENVIRONS is united in saying: Enough is enough.

We are here to make the following demands:

• Immediate reconnection of power supply to the entire AJIBODE-APETE-AWOTAN-ARAROMI & ENVIRONS.

• Public retraction of the false claims of threats against IBEDC staff.

• Reopening of the IBEDC Apete office, to resume services and restore customer access.

• A full investigation into the actions of the IBEDC Apete officials responsible for the disconnection.

• Sanctions and regulatory penalties to be imposed on the erring officers and the undertaking unit, to serve as a deterrent to similar abuses in the future.

• Completion and activation of the NIPP infrastructure for the benefit of the entire AJIBODE-APETE-AWOTAN-ARAROMI & ENVIRONS as originally intended.

• Immediate cessation of selective connection and diversion of the NIPP feeder to privileged individuals, to the detriment of the larger community.

• A structured stakeholders’ dialogue between IBEDC leadership and representatives of the AJIBODE-APETE-AWOTAN-ARAROMI & ENVIRONS to address the root causes of the crisis.”

The communities then called on all regulatory bodies, “especially the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the Honourable Minister of Power, to take urgent steps to investigate this matter and hold IBEDC accountable.”

“We remain a peaceful, law-abiding, and resilient community, but we shall not fold our arms while our rights are trampled upon.”

Residents, who could not hide their dissatisfaction at the meeting, were seen with placards bearing inscriptions such as “Why the blackout, give us light”, “Regina, stop intimidating us, IBEDC be warned”, “Stop High Billing for Epileptic Power Supply”, “Say No To Total Blackout”, “Stop Shedding Our Light”, “We are paying for light, why are we suffering?”

Community leaders present at the conference included the Chairman, Awotan-Abata-Ataa Community, Chief Fashola Ojekunle; the Alapete of Apete land, Oba Raheem Idowu Bolarinwa (represented by the Babajiro of Apete, Chief Rasheed Olayiwola Adeleke); and the Balogun of Awotan land, Chief Sodiq Olabamiji Ogodu.