Residents of Akoka, Lagos State, took to the streets on Tuesday to protest against what they described as an abysmal power supply despite being migrated to Band A, which promises a minimum of 20 hours of electricity daily.

The protesters, armed with placards bearing messages such as “Akoka is totally neglected. Our business is dying daily. Save our souls in Akoka,” decried the severe power shortage that has left them with barely two hours of electricity daily.

In a video obtained by our correspondent, one of the demonstrators lamented the impact of the poor power supply on livelihoods and the environment.

“We agreed to pay for Band A, and we have been paying, but we do not have light. We went from enjoying a constant power supply to barely two hours daily. It is affecting our businesses and polluting the environment. Everywhere is uncomfortable,” she said.

The residents claimed they had repeatedly appealed to the nearest Ikeja Electric (IKEDC) office but received no resolution to their complaints.

“Our peaceful demonstration today is to express how unhappy and uncomfortable we are. We are pleading with Ikeja Electric and the appropriate authorities to listen to our cries and save our community. Akoka has always been a good place, and we want it to remain so,” another protester added.

The spokesperson for Ikeja Electric, Kingsley Okotie, had yet to respond to inquiries regarding the issue at the time of filing this report.

Band A tariff customers are expected to receive no less than 20 hours of electricity daily, a promise that Akoka residents claim has been far from fulfilled, leaving them grappling with daily hardships.

Residents are calling on Ikeja Electric and the government to urgently address the situation to restore their power supply and safeguard their livelihoods.