Suspected Itsekiri Youths in Ologbo Thwart Ossiomo Power Company’s Effort to Restore Electricity to Edo

By Rosemary Okoduwa

Efforts by officials of Ossiomo Power Company to restore electricity supply to customers in Benin City and its environs were reportedly thwarted on Thursday when suspected Itsekiri youths in Ologbo community, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, disrupted plans to switch on the IPP II unit at the company’s gas plant.

The development came after Ossiomo Power Company had been out of operation for nearly one year following what the company described as the forceful takeover of its gas plant and alleged vandalisation of its facilities by youths in the community. The company has also alleged that the situation was influenced by a Chinese firm, Jiangsu Communication Clean Energy Technology Co. Ltd (CCETC). The prolonged shutdown has left thousands of customers without electricity for about 10 months.

Following reports that the multi-billion-naira company was set to resume electricity generation and supply, civil society groups, including the Talakawa’s Parliament led by Marxist Kola Edokpayi, alongside journalists, travelled to Ologbo to witness the planned restoration. At the site, the groups displayed placards expressing solidarity with Ossiomo Power Company, condemning alleged vandalism and calling for the protection of the facility, which they described as critical to Edo State’s economic and industrial development.

The groups stressed that reliable electricity remains a major driver of economic growth, urging Edo people and other stakeholders to support initiatives capable of improving power supply and boosting businesses. They called for peace and cooperation, insisting that the priority should be restoring electricity to the people. Among the messages on the placards were: “Almighty God said to Ossiomo Power Company, Let there be light in Edo State,” “Talakawas is in solidarity with Ossiomo Power Company,” “We say no to VANDALISM,” “Light brings development,” and “Ossiomo Power Company is our own.”

They also appealed to the people of Ologbo to support efforts to protect the company’s facilities and urged Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo and the Benin monarch to urgently intervene in the dispute to enable Ossiomo Power Company return fully to operation and resume electricity supply across the state.

Ossiomo Power Company had previously alleged that its 33KV transmission lines were vandalised and its gas station forcefully taken over by youths in the community, despite the company’s claim that it had provided nearly N200 million in corporate social responsibility (CSR) interventions to the community. However, as the civil society members and journalists were leaving the area on Thursday, a large group of youths reportedly stormed the location, blocked the only exit route and held the visitors there for nearly an hour.

The youths, reportedly led by Mr. Felix Okotie, questioned why the visitors had entered the area without their authorisation and allegedly insisted that only persons visiting CCETC were welcome. Their actions reportedly created tension, with security personnel deployed to protect Ossiomo Power Company’s property intervening to prevent a possible attack on the journalists and civil society members. Despite the intervention, some persons, including a journalist, an Ossiomo driver and an NSCDC security personnel, were allegedly manhandled.

The youths reportedly claimed they were acting on behalf of the community and the state government, while one of them was heard warning that the visitors would not leave peacefully if Governor Okpebholo learnt of their presence. The incident has renewed calls for urgent intervention by the state government, security agencies and traditional authorities to prevent further confrontation, protect critical infrastructure and resolve the underlying dispute so that the people of Edo State can regain access to the electricity supply previously provided by Ossiomo Power Company.