Youths in Omu-Aran, located in the Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, staged a protest on Friday over what they described as excessive electricity charges and the abrupt reclassification of the community’s billing system from Band C to Band A.
Led by two masquerades, the demonstrators assembled at Bareke Roundabout, where they displayed placards with messages such as “Omu-Aran Says No to Band A,” “Revert Omu-Aran to Band C,” and “Omu-Aran Youths Have Spoken Loudly.” The protest was marked by singing, dancing, and chants expressing their dissatisfaction.
The protesters attributed the unusually high electricity bills received in March 2025 to the sudden change in the billing category. They claimed that ongoing power supply issues had not been resolved before the tariff adjustment, which led to monthly bills rising sharply from previous amounts of around N10,000–N15,000 to between N41,000 and N47,000.
Rejecting security escorts from police and other agencies, the youths marched through major parts of the town, including Olomu Market, Latinwo Market Area, Olomu Palace, and the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) district office in the Omu-Aran City Complex.
As part of the demonstration, they also blocked key highways such as the Omu-Aran-Kabba and Omu-Aran-Otun-Ekiti roads, causing long delays for motorists and travelers.
The protesters pledged to continue their agitation until their grievances are addressed by IBEDC and local authorities. According to a statement signed by Niyi Adeyeye, President of the Omu-Aran Development Association, the group is demanding the restoration of the former Band C tariff, replacement of faulty transformers, and general improvements in electricity supply.
The statement outlined further demands including:
Suspension of Band A billing
Reduction of current charges to previous levels
An independent review of IBEDC’s operations in Omu-Aran to ensure appropriate tariff classification
Immediate halt to overdraft purchases on prepaid meters
An end to residents being asked to purchase materials for repairing faulty electrical infrastructure
In response to the protest, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti, received the demonstrators at his palace and urged them to remain peaceful. He assured them that discussions were already underway between community leaders and IBEDC officials to find a resolution.
