BENIN CITY – Human and vehicular movements were grounded on Monday as residents of Idokpa Community in the Aduduwawa area of Benin City staged a protest over prolonged power outage, blocking a major highway linking the state capital to other parts of Edo State and the North.
The protesters barricaded the busy Benin bypass, triggering hours-long gridlock and leaving hundreds of motorists and commuters stranded under the scorching sun.
Residents said the protest was sparked by weeks of total blackout, which they claimed had crippled businesses and worsened living conditions in the community.
A resident, Doris, said traders, artisans and small business owners had suffered heavy economic losses due to the persistent power outage.
She expressed frustration that neighbouring communities continued to enjoy electricity supply while Idokpa remained in darkness, accusing the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) of diverting power meant for the area.
“This power outage has crippled our businesses and made life unbearable. It is painful that the next community has light while we are in darkness,” she said.
Another resident, Gideon, said the protesters were demanding immediate intervention by government authorities, insisting that the road would remain blocked until their complaints were addressed.
Meanwhile, stranded travellers expressed frustration over the blockade.
A motorist travelling to Kaduna, Hassan, described the protest as ill-timed, noting that the highway is a major transport route.
“This is not the right way to protest. People are travelling long distances and have been stranded for hours,” he said.
Reacting to the allegations, a BEDC official denied claims of deliberate power diversion, explaining that the outage was caused by gas shortages affecting power generation.
“The outage is not deliberate. It is due to challenges beyond our control, including gas supply shortages,” the official said.
As of press time, the highway remained blocked, with security agencies monitoring the situation amid calls for urgent government intervention to restore calm and electricity supply.
