Claims by the Federal Government that electricity supply in the country has improved tremendously might be false after all, as angry youths in Niger State continued to protest what they termed, ‘worst electricity supply situation ever in the history of the state.’

Regional staff of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) have gone into hiding following fears of attacks by angry youths who have threatened to raze the company’s office over alleged non-performance in the past two years.
The youths in their hundreds staged protests, blocking the only road from Minna linking Shiroro at Mutum-Daya, Gwada and She` junctions over what they termed ‘worst’ situation in the history of Niger State.
They alleged that citizens were being subjected to constant power outage.
The youths of the two separate groups ‘Shiroro Youths’ and the other ‘Shiroro Youths Movement,’ for hours barricaded major roads causing huge traffic buildups at several points to the dams to vent their frustrations against what they termed ‘government’s undue silence while they suffer sleepless nights under the scorching hot weather due to blackouts’.


Abdulsalam Abdul Paida, leader of the Shiroro Youths Movement, said the company had recently, for no genuine reason or reasons, increased the electricity tariffs from N1, 500 to N3, 000 even when power supply to the areas has reduced abysmally.

“Unfortunate there is no respite to the near blackout being witnessed in a state where the three major electricity generating dams; Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro are domiciled. All we are seeing monthly is habitual crazy billings by the AEDC for services not provided.”

Abdul Paida expressed worry over the astronomical increase in cost of electricity supply was not only unreasonable but an assault on citizens of the council area on whose land the electricity power was being generated from, (the Shiroro hydroelectric power station.)

Despite several representations to the company, the leader of one of the groups expressed disappointment that the AEDC management showed no concern, a development that he said caused severe bad blood between youths in the affected councils and the company.

Also in Minna, the youth group known as, ‘Youths Lead Nigeria’, staged another stand-off against, continuous epileptic power supply to the state capital with the situation getting worse by the day and therefore called for change of the distribution company for a more efficient distribution of electricity.


Mohammed Sa’idu Etsu, the leader of the Minna group in their submission called on Mr. Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) management to delist the AEDC from being the company in charge of power supply to Niger State.

The angry youths warned that enough was enough of the ‘flimsy and lame excuses’ from the AEDC and insisted that the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company has proved that it has no capacity nor the wherewithal to be in the business of distributing electricity to the state.

While passing a no confidence vote on the AEDC, the youths urged the Minister to allow another power distribution company possibly with enough financial muscles and willingness to do what was proper to take over from the company as electricity provider to the state and the business region in general.


Only last week, another group, Youths Lead Nigeria had threatened to re-group against the AEDC following worsening supply of electricity to the state capital and its environs with supply decreasing unimaginably.

In January this year, the AEDC had assured the state Governor Abubarkar Sani Bello of improved power supply from six and nine to 12 hours per day, but the assurances according to investigations by our correspondent were short-lived.

Meanwhile, police has taking over security at the AEDC Regional office along U. K. Bell Arts Theatre, Minna as all the management and staff of the AEDC have gone into hiding for fears of attacks by angry customers.

Our correspondent was barred from entering the company premises by stern looking policemen as she made her way into the premises to ascertain the reasons why electricity supply situation has worsened in recent times.

Both the Regional Manager of the AEDC, Engineer Yahaya Mohammed Jere and the Head of Corporate Communication, Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed also declined comments when our correspondent called their mobile telephone.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/03/aedc-staff-go-into-hiding-as-youths.html