•The protesters
Residents of Judges’ Estate at Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo State capital, today stormed the headquarters of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) protesting poor power supply.
Scores of the residents in a peaceful protest alleged that the officials of electricity company disconnected their power line from the Alagbaka power line where they used to have power supply 16 hours per day to Oda power line where power supply was poor, reports Daily Independent.
Locking the gate of the company, they demanded that the electricity company should reconnect their line to where it used to be when they were enjoying 16-hour power supply.
According to the Chairman of Landlords Association of the estate, Prince Ade Adegboro, the BEDC officials approached the residents of the estate three weeks ago, promising them 24-hour power supply.
But Prince Adegboro said after the BEDC technicians were through with the work, the power line of the estate was connected to Oda power line.
He complained that after the connection, the estate had been in darkness for the past five consecutive days.
“We are here just to tell them to come and connect our line back to where it was before.
“Where we were before, the Alagbaka power line, we used to have power supply 16 hours on daily basis, but when they disconnected us and connected us to Oda power line, we have not been having power supply.
“For five consecutive days now, we have be living in darkness while our neighbour estates are enjoying power supply for 16 hours.
“When they came to us, they promised to give us power supply for 24 hours in a day, but they have successfully put us in darkness permanently.
“We are not here to fight but to just tell you to reconnect our line to the previous power line.”
Meanwhile, none of the officials of BEDC was ready to speak with newsmen, but the chairman of the affected estate said they were asked to write a letter to the headquarters of the company.
Prince Adegboro disclosed that they had written several letters to Benin and Lagos offices of the company.
The Judges Estate is accommodating several important federal agencies including the Court of Appeal.
