Residents of Omu-Aran in Kwara State’s Irepodun Local Government Area have staged a protest against disputed electricity bills and the unexpected shift of their community’s billing regime from Band C to Band A.
The protesters, led by two masquerades, gathered at Bareke Roundabout in the metropolis, carrying placards with various inscriptions amidst dancing and singing of war songs.
The protesters claimed that the sudden movement of the electricity billing from Band C to Band A was responsible for the outrageous bills received for March 2025, with charges ranging from N41,000 to N47,000, compared to the old rate of between N10,000 and N15,000.
The protesters blocked major highways leading to neighboring states and vowed to continue with the protest until their demands and grievances were addressed by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and community leaders. Some of their demands include the replacement of faulty transformers, reversion of the billing from Band A to Band C, and improvement of electricity supply.
The Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti, appealed for calm, stating that community leaders were already discussing the issues with IBEDC officials. He urged the youth to exercise restraint and wait for the outcome of the intervention.
