•The protesters
The National Association of Nigerian Students, South-West Zone D, today held a peaceful protest in Osogbo, Osun State, over poor power supply in the region.
The protesters, who decried poor electricity supply on campuses of the tertiary institutions in the region, demanded immediate action to address their complaints, reports The PUNCH.
Armed with placards with inscriptions, “No electricity increment tarrif,” “Increase power output,” “Restore our electricity infrastructure,” among others had converged on the November 27 Bridge, Osogbo, where they held the protest.
Stating the demands of the protesters during an interview with journalists, NANS South West Coordinator, Josiah Adeyemo, said the association was displeased with the inadequate electricity supply to campuses across the region.
“I am here with all the sister bodies of our association to register our displeasure in the current electricity crisis that has ravaged our nation and affected academic activities in our campuses and society.
“Our message to the government is that we realise and appreciate all they’ve been doing to ensure stability in the country. However, we must not forget that the true essence of stability lies in a society that can fully enjoy the maximum benefits of basic amenities provided by the government, and electricity is one of those essential amenities that we cannot overlook.
“This constant failure of electricity which in recent times has significantly dropped has brought about series of aggravations within our campuses and student community and we must let the government know that this is a priority for them,” Adeyemo said.
He called for urgent measures to address their complaints about the epileptic power supply across the region, saying “This is just a preamble. Let it be known that if there is no proper engagement from relevant authorities concerning this power issue, we will be forced to make another mass protest in a few days. We will not back down until our voices are heard.”
Commenting on the state of security across the country, Adeyemo said the recent bomb explosions in Maiduguri, Borno State that claimed many lives and destroyed properties, has made it necessary to deploy better approach to tackling the challenge of insecurity in the country.
Residents of Osogbo staged a protest at the Osun Regional Office of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, demanding improved electricity supply and issuing the company a seven-day ultimatum to restore affected communities to Band A classification.
The protesters converged on Oke Baale in Osogbo and marched through the Station Road area before assembling at a designated point and proceeding to the IBEDC Osun Regional Office.
The presence of heavily armed security operatives deployed to secure the facility heightened tension, as the protesters chanted solidarity songs and expressed displeasure over irregular power supply to their communities.
The residents issued a seven-day ultimatum to the company to “restore the affected communities to Band A classification within seven days,” warning that failure to comply would compel them to take lawful and collective actions, “including reconsidering the operational access of IBEDC personnel within these communities.”
