EXCLUSIVE: IKEDC, residents clash over transformer as Lagos community remains in darkness

Ajayi Tawakalt, a mother of four and owner of a frozen foods shop in the Odogbonle community of Lagos, stared at her empty fridge and sighed, “This fridge has become empty.”

Her business, once a steady source of income, has collapsed after over three months without electricity.

Since March 21, 2025, the Eredo Local Council Development Area in Epe LGA has suffered a total blackout following a technical fault with the community’s transformer.

Like many other residents, Tawakalt, who took a loan to start her shop, has shut down operations due to spoiled goods and rising losses.

“Some days, I had to throw away spoiled fish. This power supply issue has really destroyed my business,” she lamented.

Tawakalt Stands Beside Her Fridge At Odogbonle Community In Epe, Lagos.

Even basic needs like water have become difficult. “We usually use a generator to pump water, and the water will not even last for long because our neighbours usually fetch from it,” she added.

Odogbonle residents say the crisis began when officials of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) attempted to remove the faulty transformer for repairs in April.

Recalling a similar experience in 2023 where a transformer was taken and never returned, the residents blocked IKEDC from taking the current one, leading to a standoff with the Epe undertaking office.

The community’s chairman, Onabajo Oriyomi, said IKEDC has refused to account for the 2023 transformer.

“The manager has been evasive because we asked for the 2023 transformer, and we did not allow the officials to take the current faulty transformer,” he said, noting that all attempts to secure a meeting with the local IKEDC manager, Victor Uche Amaraegbu, were unsuccessful.

THE LETTER SENT TO IKEDC EPE

In the absence of power, businesses and students have been hit hard.

Toyosi Akinlade, a laundry service operator, spends about ₦90,000 weekly on diesel just to keep his machines running, while Adetunji Motunrayo, a fashion designer, has abandoned electric machines for outdated manual ones.

Students of the nearby Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) now trek long distances to charge devices and study, with some planning to relocate.

“The power supply is our major challenge here. We cannot cope without electricity,” said Olatunbosun Aminat, a 200-level accounting student.

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Healthcare is also suffering.

The community’s only hospital, powered by solar and generator, struggles to function.

“We have been feeling the impact of no power supply for the last three months,” said Wahab Suleimon, a medical officer.

“Solar was an option B before now; it has become the main option.”

Despite the outage, residents say they received electricity bills for March and April, prompting them to petition the IKEDC Epe office to halt billing until power is restored.

They have also reached out to IKEDC’s Ikorodu business unit, the Lagos State House of Assembly, and even emailed the company’s headquarters, all to no avail.

Responding to the allegations, Amaraegbu denied avoiding the community and said he is willing to meet with them if a date is scheduled.

He also denied telling leaders to forget the old transformer and promised to check the company’s store for its whereabouts.

“When I meet with them, we will decide what to do,” he added.

Meanwhile, Odogbonle remains in darkness, with livelihoods and learning disrupted as residents await meaningful action.