Ajibode, Apete, Awotan in Darkness as IBEDC Halts Electricity Services

The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has announced the withdrawal of its services from the Ajibode, Apete, and Awotan communities in Ibadan, citing escalating tensions and disruption of operations.

In a public announcement released Wednesday , the company revealed that its offices in the affected areas were forcefully shut down by residents who also ejected IBEDC personnel. The communities, which have been experiencing weeks of power outage, have reportedly demanded a migration to a Band A feeder before agreeing to pay their electricity bills.

“Despite several engagements and efforts to address their concerns through dialogue and collaboration, our teams have been met with stiff resistance,” the company stated. “As a responsible and customer-focused organization, we value peaceful engagement and constructive feedback. However, due to the prevailing circumstances, and to prevent further commercial and collection losses, we have withdrawn our services from these communities until normalcy is restored.”

The statement urged residents to seek peaceful and lawful means of expressing their grievances, warning that hostile actions jeopardize staff safety and service delivery.

The power crisis in the Apete axis of Ido Local Government has already attracted the attention of legal and civic voices. An Ibadan-based lawyer and community member, Kazeem Oladepo, has filed a formal petition to IBEDC, describing the prolonged blackout as a “security threat” and a serious setback to education in the area.

“Can anybody in Nigeria today tell the public what sin the Apete community committed to deserve this total blackout for over a month?” Oladepo queried in the petition made available to Daily Post. “All efforts by the community — including peaceful rallies and reports to local radio stations — have yielded nothing.”

Oladepo, who described Apete as a student-dominated area housing The Polytechnic, Ibadan, said the power outage undermines the government’s education goals and raises concerns about public safety. He called on elected officials at all levels — from local councillors to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu — to urgently intervene.

“The persistent power outage in this community would amount to a major obstacle to the government’s efforts in achieving sustainable, sound education,” Oladepo added. “This special appeal is hereby placed at the doorsteps of IBEDC, political leaders in Ido Constituency, and Governor Seyi Makinde.”