Dozens of youths from Osogbo stormed the premises of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, to protest the persistent and unreliable power supply in the Osun State capital and surrounding communities.
The demonstrators arrived in groups, chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards with various inscriptions condemning the company’s service delivery.
It was gathered that the protesters accused IBEDC of neglecting consumers by issuing estimated and prepaid bills while providing prolonged outages and inadequate electricity.
One protester, who identified himself as Tunde, stated that residents and business owners had endured repeated disruptions.
Tunde explained that they could not continue to pay for darkness, as businesses were collapsing and households were frustrated.
Another demonstrator noted that many small-scale enterprises had been forced to depend heavily on generators to stay operational.
She added that fuel prices were high, and they spent more on running generators than they earned daily, emphasizing the need for stable electricity to survive.
The youths demanded that the company’s management provide a clear explanation for the ongoing outages and present a definite timeline for improved power supply.
It was gathered that security personnel were deployed to the scene to maintain law and order, while IBEDC officials engaged a delegation of the protesters in discussions.
The protest reflects growing public frustration with power distribution challenges in Osun State, where residents continue to call for accountability and lasting solutions to recurring electricity issues.
Earlier on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, the management of IBEDC informed customers and stakeholders of the current low power supply in the Osun Region.
The company attributed the situation to reduced energy allocation, which had significantly limited its ability to deliver optimal power to affected areas.
IBEDC listed the impacted communities as Iwo, Okinni, Owode-Ede, Cottage, Ede Township, Odo-Ori, Ejigbo and environs; Abeere, Oke-Baale, Oke-Ijetu, Ita-Olokan, Dada Estate and environs; Ikirun, Iragbiji, Iree, Otan Ayegbaju, Iresi, Ila and environs; and Isare, Ipetu-Ijesa, Efon Alaaye, Ikeji-Ile and environs.
The company expressed regret for the inconvenience and stated that it was actively engaging with relevant industry stakeholders to secure enhanced energy allocation as soon as supply conditions, particularly gas availability to generation companies, improved.
Similar Cases of People Locking or Protesting at IBEDC Offices in Osun
Residents and business owners in Osun State have repeatedly staged protests and, in some instances, locked IBEDC offices or facilities to demand better electricity supply.
In July 2024, angry traders and residents in Osogbo barricaded the IBEDC office along Old Garage Road for several hours, preventing staff from entering or leaving.
The protesters accused the company of imposing high estimated bills while providing less than four hours of power daily. Security operatives eventually dispersed the crowd after negotiations.
In October 2024, youths in Ilesa locked the local IBEDC office for over six hours, chaining the gates and chanting against erratic supply and inflated bills.
The protest ended after IBEDC officials promised to address feeder line faults and review billing complaints.
In February 2025, commercial motorcyclists and shop owners in Ede locked the IBEDC district office, demanding restoration of power to major markets.
They claimed outages lasting up to 72 hours had crippled businesses. Police intervention led to the reopening of the facility after an agreement for immediate transformer repairs.
In June 2025, residents of Ikirun stormed and temporarily locked the IBEDC office in the town, protesting zero power supply for three weeks.
The action disrupted company operations until community leaders mediated, and the company committed to fixing damaged infrastructure.
In January 2026, a group of small business owners in Osogbo blocked access to the IBEDC headquarters in the state capital, locking gates and displaying placards over persistent outages and estimated billing.
The protest lasted four hours before dispersal, with the company issuing a public notice acknowledging low energy allocation from the national grid.
These incidents highlight recurring public anger in Osun over inadequate power supply, high tariffs, and perceived lack of responsiveness from the distribution company, often resulting in temporary shutdowns of offices or facilities until assurances are given or repairs begin.
NAN
