Southwest students lead protest over electricity crisis in Nigeria
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –
Students under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D, on Wednesday took to the streets of Osogbo, Osun State capital, to protest the persistent unstable electricity supply across the country, describing the situation as detrimental to academic activities and student welfare.
Speaking during the protest, the Southwest Coordinator of NANS, Comrade Josiah Adeyemo, said the demonstration became necessary following several press conferences and engagements with relevant authorities on the issue, which yielded no results.
Adeyemo noted that the continued lack of stable electricity supply has made it difficult for students to thrive academically.
He added that the protest was not anti-government but a result of extensive consultations and consolidations, stating that the entire student leadership decided it was time to take their voices to the streets.
The student leader, who acknowledged the efforts of President Bola Tinubu in other sectors, including the absence of industrial actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in recent times, appealed to him to urgently address the situation.
Also speaking, the Southwest Coordinator of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), Comrade Ogunsola Adewale, lamented that many students across the country are living in darkness while those in leadership enjoy stable electricity and essential amenities.
Adewale said epileptic power supply has exposed students to security risks, including the loss of valuable property to theft.
Reacting, the management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) apologised for the interruptions in power supply experienced across its network, stating that the disruptions were primarily due to gas supply limitations affecting electricity generation on the national grid.
