By Ismail Azeez
Tensions reached a breaking point in Osun State on Wednesday as representatives from over a dozen Osogbo communities stormed the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) office, issuing a seven-day ultimatum to restore their Band A status.
The protesters, representing areas ranging from the UNIOSUN axis to the Air Force Base, alleged that their recent downgrade to Band C has left them with less than four hours of daily supply, despite regulations requiring a minimum of twelve.
Armed with placards and a formal communiqué, the United Communities group expressed outrage over suspicions that electricity meant for their homes is being diverted to higher-paying industrial bidders.
Responding to the heated demonstration, IBEDC Regional Manager Ifeanyi Ikeji cited systemic generation inadequacies as the primary hurdle preventing the company from meeting its obligations.
While expressing a willingness to restore the affected areas to the premium Band A classification, Ikeji set a firm condition, the communities must bridge a massive metering gap.
He urged residents to procure prepaid meters immediately, noting that the 90% metering requirement for Band A customers is a non-negotiable regulatory standard that the areas currently fail to meet.
The communities have warned that failure to see improvement within the week will result in lawful collective actions against the utility provider.