Licensed electrical contractors in Osun State, under the aegis of the Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN), on Thursday staged a protest against the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), accusing its staff of fraud, extortion, and taking over their professional duties.
The protesters, carrying placards with inscriptions like “Band A is a fraud”, “Enough of IBEDC exploitation on transformers”, and “Make meters available to all customers”, marched along Osogbo/Ibokun road in Osogbo, the state capital.
LECAN State Chairman, Kayode Adebayo, told journalists that IBEDC workers were violating the Electricity Act of 2013 by doing jobs meant for licensed electrical contractors.
“IBEDC staff now hijack our roles as licensed professionals and use the opportunity to extort innocent customers,” he said. “Residents now pay huge sums just to open electricity accounts, sometimes as much as N100,000, even before they are connected to the grid.”
He accused the power company of refusing to replace faulty meters, forcing customers onto estimated billing, and blocking people from getting new meters unless they bribe staff or go through illegal backdoor channels.
Adebayo also criticised the “Band A” system, which is supposed to provide 20–24 hours of electricity, describing it as deceptive. “The Band system is not working. Band A is just another way to cheat the public,” he said.
He alleged that transformers purchased and installed by communities are often not connected to the national grid unless IBEDC staff are “settled.”
Responding to the protest, IBEDC’s Osogbo Regional Communication Officer, Kikelomo Owoeye, denied the allegations. She said customers are not billed before connection and added that if power is used during building construction, billing may occur with the customer’s consent.
She explained that metering continues for customers with verified payments, and any attempt to misuse receipts is being investigated. On complaints about meter upgrades, she noted the deadline for the card reconfiguration program had passed, adding that IBEDC replaces faulty meters only if the fault is not caused by the user.
Owoeye said IBEDC remains committed to fairness and urged customers to report issues through official channels.
