Residents of 44 communities under the Sobi Poly Feeder in Oke-Fomo, Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State, have protested a year-long power outage.
The peaceful protest took place on Monday, with community members carrying placards that read: “We are tired of blackout,” “Darkness is killing us, provide reliable electricity,” “No light, no life,” and “Power to the people, not just a promise.”
The residents said they had been without electricity since February 2024, with the last power supply from the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) recorded in January 2024.
Speaking during the protest, Oke-Fomo community leader, Abdulkareem Jimoh, described the situation as unbearable.
“The continued suffering of residents in these affected communities, when other communities in the state are enjoying power supply, is lamentable,” he said.
Jimoh explained that the prolonged blackout had crippled businesses and daily activities, making life difficult for many.
“Our economic activities have been badly affected. We cannot continue to buy fuel for generators because of the high cost. People are struggling to survive,” he added.
According to him, the communities were previously using a 100MVA transformer, which got damaged. IBEDC later replaced it with a 45MVA transformer, but it has not solved the problem.
The residents urged IBEDC to find a lasting solution and restore electricity to the affected areas, stressing that access to power is essential for their well-being and economic growth.
