Tension gripped Asaba, the Delta State capital, as angry youths from Okpanam community in Oshimili North Local Government Area, Delta State stormed and barricaded the entrance to the Delta State Government House, protesting weeks of total blackout in their community.
Chanting solidarity songs and wielding placards with messages like “Government authority please, help us ooo”, “enough is enough BEDC Okpanam”, “stop the exploitation BEDC, Okpanam”, “Enough is enough BEDC, “We are in capital territory but living as slaves”, “we say no to BEDC Supply plan to Okpanam”, BEDC please, give us light and transformer”, among others.
Aniomaonline, reports that the protest, which began in the early hours of Thursday April 9, 2025, morning, at Okpanam roundabout caused heavy gridlock along the popular Okpanam road and major adjoining roads, disrupting official activities and leaving commuters stranded for hours.
A youth leaders who identified himself as Chuks Onianwa while fielding questions from newsmen said; “We’ve endured over a month without power. Our businesses are suffering, students can’t study, and we’ve gotten nothing but silence from those in power. “This is no longer neglect, it’s oppression.”
Despite repeated complaints and appeals to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) and local authorities, residents say the power supply has remained non-existent, worsening their living conditions and crippling the local economy.
Security operatives were swiftly deployed to the scene to maintain order, while the protest remained peaceful at the time of filing this report.
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