Masquerades Lead Protest Against Sudden Electricity Billing Change In Kwara Community

A protest led by two masquerades and youth groups broke out on Friday in Omu-Aran, located in the Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, following the sudden increase in electricity bills and the shift in the community’s electricity billing classification from Band C to Band A.

The protestors, gathered at the Bareke Roundabout in Omu-Aran, were seen carrying placards and chanting war songs in a show of defiance.

Some of the placards had messages such as “Omu-Aran Says No to Band A”, “Bring Us Back to Band C”, “Revert Omu-Aran to Band C”, and “Omu-Aran Youths Have Spoken Loudly”.

According to the protesting youths, the abrupt shift from Band C to Band A has resulted in inflated electricity bills for March 2025.

They claim that their electricity charges now range between ₦41,000 and ₦47,000, compared to the old rate of between ₦10,000 and ₦15,000 under the previous Band C billing regime.

The protesters also pointed out that prior to the sudden change in the billing regime, the community was already grappling with several unresolved issues concerning inconsistent and unreliable electricity supply.

“We are protesting because of the outrageous bills we received for March 2025 after the sudden change in our billing regime. We had issues with electricity supply even before this change, and now it has worsened,” a protester said.

Rejection Of Police Escort And Escalation Of Protest

The protesters rejected an attempt by police and other security agencies to escort them during the protest, emphasizing their resolve to voice their grievances without external interference.

The protest spread across major streets in Omu-Aran, including Olomu Market, Latinwo Market Area, Olomu Palace, and the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company’s (IBEDC) district office in the Omu-Aran City Complex.

As the protest gained momentum, the youths blocked key highways, including the Omu-Aran-Kabba and Omu-Aran-Otun-Ekiti roads, causing significant traffic disruptions. Motorists and travelers were forced to wait for hours due to the roadblocks.

The protesters have vowed to continue their demonstration until their demands are met by the IBEDC and local community leaders.

Some of their key demands, outlined in a statement by the President of the Omu-Aran Development Association, Niyi Adeyeye, include the replacement of faulty transformers, a return to the previous Band C billing, and an improvement in the electricity supply.

The statement read: “Some of our demands include the replacement of faulty transformers, which have caused inconsistent electricity supply in key areas of the community, the reversion of the billing system from Band A to Band C, and a suspension of Band A billing. We also demand a review of current charges to reflect the old billing rates.”

The group also called for an independent review of IBEDC’s service delivery in the community to assess whether the current tariff regime is appropriate.

Other demands include halting overdraft purchases on pre-paid meters and stopping the practice of electricity consumers purchasing materials for faulty equipment.

In response to the growing unrest, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti, met with the protesters at his palace and appealed for calm. The monarch reassured the youths that community leaders were already in discussions with IBEDC officials to address their concerns.

He urged the protesters to exercise restraint and await the outcome of the ongoing discussions.

“We are aware of the issues you have raised, and we are engaging with the relevant authorities to resolve them. I urge you to remain calm as we work towards a solution,” the Olomu stated.