Osun Youths Protest Power Outages Amid Economic Hardship

Residents of Boripe Local Government Area in Osun State expressed their frustration over prolonged electricity outages, leading to protests organized by the Nigerian Youth Congress, Boripe chapter. The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) attributed the ongoing blackout to reduced power supply from the national grid, which has significantly affected homes, businesses, and educational activities in the area.

Ham Oyetunji, the group's coordinator, highlighted the economic impact of the outages, noting that small-scale entrepreneurs are incurring additional costs to source alternative energy. Students are struggling to study for exams due to the lack of electricity, which adds financial pressure on households.

The protest included chants demanding improved electricity supply, and the group issued a seven-day ultimatum to IBEDC to restore power, warning of potential collective action if the situation remains unaddressed. IBEDC acknowledged the challenges linked to reduced generation capacity and apologized for the disruptions affecting customers.