Electricity consumers protest poor power supply in Benin

Electricity consumers, in their hundreds, trooped to the headquarters of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), located at Akpapava in Benin, to protest poor power supply in their areas.

The protesters, who were mainly youths, marched through places like Ugbowo, Ekosodin, Aerodrome Close and Uselu to the head office of the power distribution company.

The protest caused gridlock on some major roads terminating at the Oba Square, while commuters were left stranded for hours.

Like in the past, they questioned the payment of N750 fixed charge, more so as they were enjoying skeletal power supply.

They threatened to permanently shut down traffic until answers were provided for their questions by the BEDC management.

It took the intervention of the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Foluso Adebanjo, to calm the angry youths and remove the barricade placed on the Akpakpava road.

Adebanjo appealed to the protesters to conduct their protest in a peaceful manner and not to disturb traffic.

There was also heavy presence of soldiers, policemen and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at the scene of the protest.