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The communities in Iba Inside and environs have cried out as they have been thrown into perpetual darkness for over a month and half by the Eko Distribution Company.
The affected communities are over seven in Iba Inside and the Youths of the community are not happy with the development and they are going to protest on Monday, 23 2026..
Others are Progress Estate, Progress Estate Phase 4, Addof among others.
The residents of these affected communities accused the officials of the Eko power company of the diversion of their due power supplies to other areas for reasons best known to them. According to the residents, Iba inside and environs are under residential status, not industrial. It is alledged that some officials of the power company are into racketeering by the residents of the affected communities.
According to some residents, the feeder poles that powers iba inside, the Eko Distribution officials had tampered with it and diverted it to some hotels, residences and other areas and at such made it impossible for the Iba inside to access electricity and it’s environs to even access power for 10 minutes a day.
Therefore, it is of essence that there should be power supply to the axis for some substantial hours of the day or early morning of the night. However, that has been the case since the last week of February 2026 when the area and environ we’re deprived of power supply.
Another accusation levelled against the officials of the Eko Power Company is that many of the residents of the communities affected by the recent power supply policy by Eko Distribution company who have applied and paid for Pre-Paid Metres are yet to get their metres after three months.
They alleged that some unscrupulous officials of the power company are ‘doing business ‘ with the allocation of the PPM which according to them makes it possible for them to continue with the estimated billing system that is already archaic.
One of the affected customers, Olugbenga Adegbanko who lives within Iba Inside, Adegbanko said that a room and parlour would simply be slammed with between N46-59 thousand Naira bills…looking at the house, , No air conditioning unit, Freezer, and high consuming appliances. So who consumes all the energy, h e asked?
Ismailia Ahmed said, ‘ I live in Iba inside here and we have applied for Pre-Paid Metres .Yet, we have not been able to get ours becy of the antics of the officials of the power company. Instead, they do estimates for us to the the tunes of N 40,000 . Why should we pay these much when there’s no light, we don’t use anything other than bulbs, he asked?
A room according to some of the residents that has no PPM may be charged N29,000 when even no power is being supplied monthly.
Daily Independent spoke to the Convener of the Iba Youth Forum, Olusegun Oseni on the issue of lack of power to that axis and he lamented that the officials of the power company are doing what they have just embarked on a bid to fill their pockets.
Oseni explained that at least before then, the communities under the Iba electric system could boast of about 8-11 hours power which to him is enough to pump water, charge phones and for other needs.
But according to him, since late February, the case has changed! The youths if the communities are going on a protest march on Fry 13 March, 2026 to inorder to ensure that they they get their proper supplies of electricity.
He said, ” We have been enjoying between 8 and 11 hours electric split between hours anyway not that it’s straight off. Since February, I mean late in the month, there has been no power for many weeks in these axis and the result is that we many people going to get their water supplies from putrid wells.
“We the youths are are going on for a major protest to ensure that our voices are heard over this issue of power supply. We cannot be be losing billions and living in more poverty than what we are facing at the moment.
” Our communities here in Iba LCDA are suffering the effects of the actions of the Eko Distribution Company and it’s not fair. Why would you people according to what we have heard, though, we can say it’s an allegation now but we have every reason to believe that it’s true because look at it… Some areas in some parts of the areas in the Iyana school side with power but here we all Iba Town and environs are, there has not been power for over a month and half.
” Economic and social activities have been grinded to a halt and when we ask, what we hear is that it’s from the National Grid… Did the grid ground down for us but works for others, he asked?
Another person who voiced his opinion is Muri Akanola, a welder who said that it is a very wrong thing for the electric company to plunge the communities into darkness and loss of income due to loss of energy that guarantees their source of livelihoods.
The Olori Odo of Iba Land, Matthew Oseni also lent his voice has he decried the already worsening situation as ‘very bad’! Matthew said that he also sensitized the youths to the dangers of the conditions under which the people are living by pointing out that if the welder, tailor, electrical repairs have no power supply to work…then crime festers, then we are living under a time bomb.
He said, ‘ We have to mobilise and let the Eko power company know that we have people in our communities who drives the economy here. Imagine if the tailor has no light to power his machines , the welder, shoemakers and all others, what are we asking for ?
Akinola said, ” Already, the power issue is something else but what we have seen in recent period in Iba is not what I what to experience because you look at it, how would we that use light to work deliver to our customers if we don’t have power? I am a welder. I have metal doors, others to deliver. If I have to use generator (I do have but with N1, 450) I do I continue to work? Eko Distribution people are wicked!,” he said.
Indeed, Daily Independent talked to market women, especially with those who own cold rooms where poultry, beef and pork products are stored and their story is similar to what has been going in the communities.
Madam Onyekachi Dike who runs a cold room poultry products said that it has been hell for her as she lost over hundreds of thousands of products that decayed as there was no power to freeze her poultry products.
Dike said, ” Look my brother, I use deep freezer to keep my chicken, Turkey fresh for my customers. But you see this February, I had to even seel at a loss and fear to go to market for more supplies for because I don’t want to lose more money.
“What I have lost, I vae not gotten over it and with what ‘NEPA’ is doing here in I a, I will wait and watch to see what is going to happen because they have decided to punish us as I see it.
” Those dealing in bottle Water and drinks are lucky. They can keep their products. Where can I keep chicken and Turkey, she asked?
In the areas of security, the continued darkness is also another avenue that according to residents taken up as an advantage by the criminal elements in the society according to the residents of these communities because according to them, darkness affords armed robbers to operate at will with the knowledge that since there is no electricity to light up the areas, they could just have a field day.
The estates that are affected in these issue have come together, to state their matter before the general public.
The management of the Eko Distribution promised them that there would be a renewed service to the communities but yet, what has been seen is even a retrogression!
Accoding to the estate chairman, Oseni, “Are we gonna fold our hands and watch NEPA play with our lives? NO WAY!
We won’t accept darkness! Obagorola feeder pillar is ours, but others are enjoying it, not us. Remember the protest that brought that feeder pillar? Let’s do it again!
The newly promoted staffs are basically the ones selling our energy supplies to industrials and we are left in darkness.
Before now, workers with Eko Distribution in our area, Osas, Christian, Favour makes sure that we have enjoy electricity even if it’s not 24 hours but at least, we always had electricity at almost times.
The new management have giving us problems, they have been promoted and they are now calling the shots at Orelope HQ.We have evidence that they are taking bribes to divert our light to others? They are collecting money to to remove our feeder.
Shoninare Post Service? Peace Estate are enjoying our light! Enough is enough!
We have evidence: the Gongon control room shows the person in charge is taking bribes to divert our light to others. They’re collecting money to remove our feeder pillar!
Shonibare, Post Service, PC state – they’re enjoying OUR light. Enough is enough!
Let’s rise up, gather people, and PROTEST! No more excuses. We’ll march to NEPA HQ, Orilope, New Site, and expose their corruption!
Aluta Continua, Victoria Aspera! Iba youth, let’s show them our power!
Iba youth, let’s rise up! Total protest on Monday, 7 AM at Esa Garage, Iba. We’ll march to NEPA HQ, Orelope and demand our rights!
Obagoriola feeder pillar is ours, but others are enjoying it. 5 days have passed since our last visit, and nothing’s been done. We won’t fold our hands!
Mobilizing your people:
– Progress Estate Phase 4
– Church Pole
– progress estate
– Back of Pako
– Iyegbe
– Ikogun
– Lafenwa
– Alape Street
– GRA Estate
.LASU Students, Iba Inside
Let’s show NEPA we’re not playing! Iba youth, we’re number one! We should come out for the protest against Ikeja Electric on Monday, 23 March 2026.
LASU students’ inside and others that are affected, Progress Estate, Iba Inside, everybody! Let us fight for our right!
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