Residents and business owners across several communities in Shomolu have commenced a warning protest over what they described as prolonged and persistent power outages affecting homes, businesses and essential services.
The affected communities, including Somolu, Fadeyi, Igbobi, Bajulaiye and Folagoro, are served under the Igbobi Undertaking and have reportedly experienced frequent power disruptions since May 2026.
Representatives of the affected communities, particularly customers connected to the Military and Mushin feeders, said they decided to change their approach to engaging Ikeja Electric following what they described as exhaustive discussions and several unfulfilled promises.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Mr. Oluseyi Oke, a community representative, said the ongoing action is a warning protest aimed at drawing urgent attention to the electricity crisis.
“After exhaustive discussions and various unfulfilled promises, the various communities under the Military and Mushin feeders decided that we needed to change our mode of engagement with Ikeja Electric. That is why we are embarking on this warning protest,” he said.
The protesters are currently picketing Ikeja Electric’s Igbobi Undertaking, with the action said to have commenced at about 5:00 a.m. on November 9, 2026.
According to the communities, the power challenge is not merely occasional but has become a serious infrastructural problem. Residents alleged that the number of functioning feeders serving the area has reduced significantly, leaving many customers with little or no electricity supply for days and, in some cases, weeks.
The communities have also raised concerns about the condition of power infrastructure, calling for the rebuilding of collapsed feeders, upgrading of lines, cables and transformers, and a comprehensive technical audit of the network serving Shomolu and surrounding areas.
In a formal petition addressed to the management of Ikeja Electric, the affected residents demanded an immediate restoration and stabilisation of electricity supply, as well as a clear interim supply schedule for feeders serving the Igbobi Undertaking, including the Military, Apata and Odurosakin feeders.
They also requested a written explanation on the status of the affected feeders, the reasons for customer reassignments, and a detailed remedial plan with clear dates for infrastructure repairs and upgrades.
The petition further called for what the communities described as fair and equitable distribution of available electricity supply among customers across different tariff bands.
The prolonged outages, residents said, have taken a heavy toll on small businesses, students, households and healthcare services, forcing many people to depend on costly alternative sources of energy while continuing to receive electricity bills.
The communities have given Ikeja Electric five working days to provide a written response addressing their demands and to engage with community representatives and technical teams.
Oke explained that the current protest is intended as a warning and that the possibility of a larger protest would depend on the response and actions of Ikeja Electric.
“The main protest, if it will happen, will depend on the actions or reactions of Ikeja Electric,” he stated.
The communities said they would prefer a peaceful resolution through dialogue but warned that they may escalate the matter to relevant regulatory and government authorities if their concerns are not satisfactorily addressed.
The affected residents are calling for urgent intervention to restore stable and reliable electricity supply to Shomolu and the surrounding communities, stressing that access to electricity remains essential for businesses, education, healthcare and the general wellbeing of residents.
Officials of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company appealed for calm from the protesters, assuring them that the issue would be adequately addressed.
