Residents of Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital, on Monday staged a protest over erratic power supply in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the protesters barricaded the gate to the Government House before moving to Business office of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, KEDCO.
One of the protesters, Muhammad Abdullahi, said the erratic power supply has crippled their businesses and caused them unnecessary suffering.
“We and our businesses are suffering in the state and all these on the estimated bill, paying for what we don’t enjoy.
“KEDCO should restore our light and let our lives have meaning, our businesses are suffering.
“We are not here for confrontation, but to express our view over the irregularity in the electricity we enjoy, which is affecting our business among other things,” Mr Abdullahi said.
Another protester, Ibrahim Nassarawa, a student of Waziri Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi, urged the state government to intervene, saying the problem is affecting every sector of the economy of the state.
”We have been in darkness for over a month. Please, we passionately appeal to the state government to come to our aid, we are saying enough of our suffering,” he said.
Mr Nassarawa said the power supply had been reduced to less than 12 hours from the 24-hour supply in the past.
“It’s very difficult to study, we now have to study using candles and lanterns.”
He said the poor power supply has compounded the residents’ problems including water supply not only in Birnin Kebbi, but across other communities.
When contacted, the Business Manager of KEDCO, Dogara Saidu, said he would brief the media later.
NAN reports that the business manager was later invited by the Department of the State Security Services for more clarifications on the issue.
