Residents of Ajibode, Apete, Awotan, Araromi, Akufo, and their environs in Ibadan, Oyo State, have called on the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to immediately reconnect their power supply following over two months of total blackout.
The residents, under the umbrella of the Ajibode-Apete-Awotan-Araromi-Akufo and Environs Developmental Pressure Group, made their position clear at a press conference held on Thursday, June 26, 2025. They also demanded a public retraction of what they described as false allegations that community members threatened IBEDC staff.
It will be recalled that IBEDC, via a circular posted on their official X handle on June 11, accused residents of the affected areas of demanding a Band A feeder and threatening the lives of their staff, an allegation the communities have vehemently denied.
Addressing journalists, the President of the group, Engr. Rasak Fabayo, lamented that the communities have endured years of poor and epileptic power supply, which has severely crippled businesses and affected the quality of life. He further highlighted that students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, and the University of Ibadan who live in the areas have also been plunged into hardship due to the persistent power failure.
“The problem is deeply rooted in poor infrastructure and decades of neglect. Over 18 transformers were stripped of their cables by IBEDC officials,” Fabayo stated.
He explained that although IBEDC classified their communities under Band E, which should guarantee at least four to eight hours of electricity daily, they rarely enjoy up to eight hours of power in an entire week.
“Our communities were originally meant to be powered by two feeders, but the Eleyele feeder was diverted to serve only VIPs, leaving us with the already overloaded Samonda feeder that can no longer meet our needs,” he added.
Fabayo recounted that residents had staged a peaceful protest on May 10, 2025, to the IBEDC office in Apete, under the full supervision of the police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). He stressed that the demonstration was orderly and without violence, contrary to IBEDC’s claims.
“Instead of engaging with us to resolve the issues, IBEDC took the most draconian step by disconnecting the entire Ajibode-Apete-Awotan-Araromi-Akufo axis and shutting down their Apete office, cutting off our only means of resolving electricity-related concerns,” Fabayo lamented.
He described IBEDC’s reaction as an act of corporate bullying and a deliberate attempt to punish innocent, law-abiding residents for exercising their constitutional rights.
In a detailed press release, the group described IBEDC’s public accusations as “false, calculated blackmail” and a strategy to dodge accountability.
The community presented a list of eight key demands:
Immediate reconnection of power supply to all affected areas,
Public retraction of the false claims of threats against IBEDC staff,
Reopening of the IBEDC Apete office for customer services,
Full investigation into the disconnection and punishment of officials found culpable,
Enforcement of sanctions to prevent future abuses,
Completion and activation of the NIPP infrastructure as originally intended,
Immediate end to the diversion of power supply to privileged individuals,
Structured dialogue between IBEDC leadership and community representatives to address the crisis.
The group also called on the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the Minister of Power to urgently intervene and hold IBEDC accountable.
“We are peace-loving citizens, but we will not remain silent while our rights are trampled upon,” Fabayo declared.
Community leaders at the event included Chief Fashola Ojekunle, Chairman of Awotan-Abata-Ataa Community; Chief Rasheed Olayiwola Adeleke, who represented the Alapete of Apete land, Oba Raheem Idowu Bolarinwa; and Chief Sodiq Olabamiji Ogodu, the Balogun of Awotan land.
