Residents of Omu-Aran in Kwara State's Irepodun Local Government Area took to the streets on Friday, led by two masquerades, to protest the sudden increase in their electricity bills. The community was recently reclassified from Band C to Band A by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), resulting in a significant hike in electricity costs.
*The Issue at Hand*
- *Band Reclassification*: Omu-Aran was moved to Band A, which requires a minimum of 20 hours of power supply daily, without prior consultation with residents.
- *Electricity Bill Increase*: Band A customers are billed at N209 per kilowatt-hour, a stark contrast to Band C's rate, which is significantly lower.
- *Inconsistent Power Supply*: Residents claim they don't receive the promised 20 hours of electricity, making the new billing rate unfair.
*Protest Details*
- *Community Outrage*: Youths gathered at Bareke Roundabout, chanting slogans and waving placards with messages like "Omu-Aran says no to Band A" and "Bring us back to Band C."
- *Masquerade Presence*: A video on social media showed masquerades leading the protest, highlighting the community's frustration.
*Broader Concerns*
- *Transparency and Fairness*: The protest has raised questions about the transparency and fairness of Nigeria's electricity billing system.
- *Exploitative Practices*: Affected communities are pushing back against what they perceive as exploitative practices by electricity distribution companies.¹