Youths accompanied by two masquerades in Omu-Aran in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State to protest over alleged outrageous billing and sudden movement of the community’s electricity billing regime from Band C to Band A.
The protesters, on Friday, gathered at Bareke Roundabout in the metropolis, with placards with various inscriptions dancing and singing war songs.
The placards read, ‘Omu-Aran Says No to Band A’, ‘Bring Us Back to Band C’, ‘Revert Omu-Aran to Band C ’, and ‘Omu-Aran Youths Have Spoken Loudly’, among others.
The youths condemned the sudden movement of the electricity billing from Band C to Band A, adding that it was responsible for the outrageous bills received for March 2025.
The protesters said there were many outstanding challenges militating against uninterrupted electricity supply across designated community areas before the billing regime’s sudden movement.
The protesters stopped the police and some other security agents
from escorting during the protest.
The current charges on some of the electricity bills the youths displayed were between N41,000 and N47,000 for the month of March as against the old rate of between N10,000 and N15,000.
The protesters marched through the Olomu Market, Latinwo Market Area, Olomu palace, as well as the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company’s District office located inside Omu-Aran City Complex.
The protesters also blocked some major highways leading to neighbouring states, including Omu-Aran-Kabba Highway as well as Omu-Aran-Otun-Ekiti Highway, which forced motorists and travellers to wait for hours.
They vowed to continue with the protest until their demands and grievances were met by IBEDC and the community leaders.
A statement signed by the President of Omu-Aran Development Association, Niyi Adeyeye, said they are demanding the replacement of faulty transformers and the reversion of the billing from Band A, improvement of electricity supply, suspension of Band A billings and review of the current charges to reflect the old billing regime.
“Other demands included independent review of IBEDC service delivery in Omu-Aran to assess the relevance of the proper tariff regime classification, immediate stoppage of overdraft purchase on pre-paid meters as well as stoppage of electricity consumers purchasing materials for faulty electricity equipments.”
The Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti, who received the protesters in his palace, appealed for calm, saying the community leaders were already discussing with the IBEDC officials to address the issues.
He urged the youth to exercise restraint and wait for the outcome of the intervention by the community leaders.
