Students of the University of Ibadan (UI) staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday over an 82-day power outage at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
The blackout, which has severely disrupted academic activities, stems from debts owed to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).
UCH serves as the teaching hospital for UI’s medical students, and the prolonged lack of electricity has caused significant challenges.
Speaking, the President of the UI Student Union Government (SUG), Comrade Bolaji Aweda, condemned the situation, describing it as unacceptable.
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“This blackout has persisted for over 82 days, crippling the ability of our students to study effectively. It is a clear case of a power struggle between the UCH authorities and IBEDC,” Aweda said.
The protesting students demanded the immediate restoration of electricity at UCH and called for nationwide improvements in power supply to healthcare facilities.
The students urged the Federal Government to implement the 50 per cent electricity tariff reduction announced by the Ministry of Power in 2024 and to prioritize reforms in the healthcare sector.
They vowed that if the situation remained unresolved, the students would escalate their actions to push for a solution.
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The protest began at UCH and concluded at the Oyo State Government Secretariat in Ibadan, where the students were received by Sunday Odukoya, the Executive Assistant on Security to Governor Seyi Makinde.
Odukoya assured the protesters that the state government would engage with the Federal Government to resolve the crisis.
The peaceful demonstration reflects the growing frustration among students and staff over the impact of the power outage on academic and healthcare services in Ibadan.
