Osun: LECAN, Residents Protest Alleged Exploitation Of Electricity Consumers By IBEDC

-We Remain Committed To Serving You Better- IBEDC

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

Members of the Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN), Osun State Chapter, and some residents of Osogbo, on Thursday staged a peaceful protest in Osogbo, the state capital, to register their grievances over what they described as indiscriminate extortion, harassment, and inhumane treatment of electricity consumers by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).

Armed with placards with various inscription such as “Enough of IBEDC Exploitation on Customers,” “Replace All Faulty Meters,” “Stop Supplying Substandard Meters,” “Band System is a Fraud,” “End Exploitation Over Transformers,” “Stop Delays in Meter Account Generation,” “New Account Billing is Fraud,” “Upgrade All Meters Without Delay”, among others, decried what they described as the systemic exploitation of electricity consumers by IBEDC in the state.

Addressing journalists during the protest, Osun State LECAN Chairman, Prophet Michael Kayode Adebayo, warned IBEDC staff to desist from exploiting customers saying they must put a stop to such an inhumane act.

“We appreciate the presence of the press today. Standing with us in this protest is standing with the masses, who continue to suffer under the weight of exploitation, harassment, and inhumane treatment at the hands of IBEDC,” he stated.

Adebayo referenced the Electricity Act of 2013, which clearly outlines the roles of Distribution Companies (DISCOs), licensed contractors, and consumers. However, he accused IBEDC staff of overstepping their statutory roles, assuming duties reserved for licensed contractors and using those positions to exploit residents.

“We are now at the mercy of IBEDC workers just to get a meter — a responsibility that should fall within the purview of licensed contractors. These workers have instead created barriers, imposing outrageous conditions and fees on customers,” he said.

He further alleged that new customers are often charged as much as N100,000 in unexplained debts before being connected to the grid.

“These fictitious debts are transferred to customers’ prepaid meters, forcing them to pay for electricity they never consumed.

“Faulty prepaid meters are not replaced by IBEDC. Instead, customers are forced to buy new ones or face being placed on estimated billing, which often leads to crippling debts.

“Customers who submitted their meter cards for upgrades are yet to get them back, a practice he described as illegal.

“The “Band A” electricity classification system introduced by IBEDC is ineffective and fraudulent.”

Adebayo also alleged that IBEDC staff demand illegal payments before connecting new or replaced transformers to the national grid, even after residents have spent their own money to install them.

Itemizing their demands, Adebayo said IBEDC must stop exploiting innocent customers, especially in this period of economic hardship, added that all fraudulent charges and unrendered service debts must be discontinued.

“IBEDC must limit itself to its role as defined by the Electricity Act and refrain from impersonating licensed contractors. Customers who paid for meters in 2015 and 2016 must receive the appropriate equipment without further delay. An end must be put to what was termed “rascality” among IBEDC staff and management”.

In a separate interview with our correspondent, Deacon Oyedokun Victor and Mr. Kayode Ogungbile expressed their frustration with what they described as the deliberate hardship inflicted on customers by IBEDC.

They lamented the excessive delay in getting prepaid meters, which often takes several months despite the process being expected to last no more than a few weeks. According to them, even after procuring a meter, customers still wait endlessly for IBEDC to generate activation codes.

“This is unprofessional and unacceptable. It subjects citizens, especially in Osogbo and surrounding areas, to unnecessary stress and economic hardship,” they said.

They called on the government to urgently intervene and resolve the persistent issues surrounding meter acquisition, code generation, and what they described as the fraudulent practices of IBEDC.

They warned that failure to address these issues may lead to serious unrest and a potential breakdown of law and order between disgruntled customers and IBEDC officials.

Reacting, IBEDC image maker in Osun, Kike Owoeye, in a statement refuted the allegations saying customers are not billed before connection.

Contrary to some claims, customers are not billed before connection. However, instances where electricity is used during building construction may result in billing after the customer consents to connection through the submitted form. Such cases can be addressed through available resolution and adjustment windows.

On metering, IBEDC continues to meter customers with verified proof of payment. We encourage customers with genuine documentation to come forward. Unfortunately, there have been attempts to fraudulently use a single receipt for multiple meters, which are being thoroughly investigated.

Regarding the discontinued card reconfiguration program, it was an amnesty initiative with a clearly communicated deadline. That window has since closed.

In cases of faulty meters, IBEDC investigates the cause. If it results from customer misuse, the customer is responsible for replacement. If due to a manufacturing defect, IBEDC replaces the meter within a given timeline. To maintain electricity supply during the replacement process, the customer’s billing is temporarily based on NERC-approved capping.

IBEDC remains committed to transparency, customer service, and regulatory compliance, and encourages customers to engage through official channels for any concerns or clarifications.