In an unusual but powerful show of frustration, two masquerades led a large group of protesting youths through the streets of Omu-Aran, Kwara State, on Saturday, decrying skyrocketing electricity bills and a controversial upgrade in their power classification by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).
The protesters, armed with placards bearing bold inscriptions such as “Omu-Aran Says No to Band A” and “Bring Us Back to Band C”, rallied at Bareke Roundabout before marching through key locations including Olomu Market, Latinwo Market Area, and the Olomu Palace.
Peak Newspaper Nigeria reports that the group eventually converged at the IBEDC office, where they voiced strong opposition to the abrupt transition of the community from Band C to Band A—a move that has led to an exponential increase in electricity tariffs.
Residents say bills have surged from an average of N10,000–N15,000 to as high as N47,000 per month, despite erratic power supply.Major highways such as the Omu-Aran-Kabba and Omu-Aran-Otun-Ekiti roads were blocked by the demonstrators, resulting in significant traffic congestion and delays for travelers and commercial vehicles.
The protesters presented a list of five key demands aimed at restoring fairness and improving electricity service delivery in the area:1. Revert to Band C: Immediate reversal of the billing classification.2. Replace Faulty Transformers: Urgent repair and replacement of defective power infrastructure.3.
Service Review: Independent evaluation of IBEDC’s operations in Omu-Aran.4. Stop Overdraft Purchases: End the practice of forced overdraft on pre-paid meter users.5. End Consumer-Funded Repairs: Discontinue the expectation that consumers purchase materials for equipment repairs.According to the demonstrators, it is unjust and exploitative to impose higher rates when the community still faces frequent outages and unreliable service.
