Residents of Iju and Ishaga in Lagos State are breathing a sigh of relief after noticing a significant improvement in electricity supply just before a planned protest against Ikeja Electric Monday this week.
The “Light Up Iju/Ishaga” protest was organised in response to what residents say has been an ongoing and unacceptable level of power outages in the area since last year, reports Saturday Independent.
Residents have endured months of crippling power outages. One resident, a business owner, called the situation dire.
“We can go up to three days without electricity, and when it is restored, it only lasts three hours,” they said.
“Frozen food vendors, barbers, hairdressers, and even beer parlour owners who rely on electricity for a living are struggling. Many people cannot afford the high fuel costs required to run generators.”
The impact on the busy Ishaga Market has also been significant.
The community’s frustration reached a boiling point, prompting the announcement of a planned peaceful protest at the Ikeja Electric office.
However, on the eve of the protest, electricity was unexpectedly restored late Sunday night, raising suspicion among residents. The power supply, while not perfect, has been far superior to the erratic and unreliable service provided for months.
This unexpected improvement has led many in Iju/ Ishaga to believe that the prolonged outage was not the result of genuine technical faults, as claimed by Ikeja Electric, but rather a deliberate act.
The DisCo has reportedly claimed to be working on the issues since December.
“It is suspicious,” said a local business owner. “They said they were fixing faults for months, and then, right before we protested, the power came back. It appears that man is inhumane to himself. Were they expecting us to take to the streets?”
Residents are cautiously optimistic about the improved electricity supply but remain sceptical.
The planned protest has been postponed, but residents are urging Ikeja Electric to provide consistent and reliable service, warning that they will not hesitate to resume their demonstration if the power situation deteriorates.
The situation in Iju/Ishaga highlights the ongoing challenges that many Nigerian communities face in terms of consistent electricity supply, and it calls into question the transparency and accountability of electricity distribution companies.
The residents have sent a clear message: they will not be taken for granted and will demand a consistent power supply that allows them to thrive.
