Lagos community laments months-long blackout

Residents of Aina Aladi Community Development Association, located off AIT Road in Alagbado, Lagos, have decried a prolonged power outage blamed on a faulty transformer that has left over 300 houses in darkness for months.

The community members accused officials of Ikeja Electric of neglecting repeated complaints and failing to take meaningful action despite several appeals.

Speaking on behalf of the residents on Saturday, Afeez Lawal said the transformer serving the area had been malfunctioning for about three years, forcing residents to ration electricity before it eventually broke down completely in December 2025.

He explained that the situation worsened after the transformer was taken away for repairs, with no clear timeline for its return.

“We were told at our general meeting to escalate the matter so the authorities can hear our plight. But officials in charge, identified as Mr Chris, Mr Jackson, Mr Kasim, and a marketer, Mrs Omolaja, have refused to address our concerns,” Lawal said.

According to him, residents were repeatedly told that necessary equipment, described as a “Hayab machine,” was unavailable, despite alleged efforts by the community to facilitate repairs.

“We have done everything possible, including engaging them multiple times, yet there is no solution. Over 95 per cent of the 350 houses here use prepaid meters, so we don’t understand why our situation is being ignored,” he added.

Another resident, identified as Aladesomi, expressed frustration over the prolonged blackout, noting that the community had relied on the same transformer for over 25 years without major issues until recently.

He said, “I’ve lived here since 1993. Since December 2025, we haven’t even known where the transformer was taken to. Some transformers taken for repairs never come back.

It is now difficult to access necessities like water, and insecurity has increased.”

Residents said the outage has severely disrupted daily life, with many forced to walk long distances—up to two kilometres—to fetch water due to the lack of electricity.

They also raised concerns over rising insecurity, alleging that the blackout has emboldened criminal activities in the area.

“The whole place is dark. Thieves now operate freely, and we have recorded cases of robbery and drug abuse among youths,” Aladesomi added.

Another resident told PUNCH Metro that the power outage began shortly after December 28, when officials removed the transformer without prior notice.

“We tracked the vehicle that took the transformer and reported to different IE offices, including Abule Taylor and Dopemu, but we’ve been told to keep waiting for about five months now,” the resident said.

The resident added that the situation has forced some tenants to vacate their homes due to deteriorating living conditions.

“People are leaving because there’s no light, no water, and no security. Thieves now jump fences to steal phones and other valuables,” the source said.

Residents are now appealing to both the Lagos State Government and Ikeja Electric to urgently intervene and restore power to the community.

They warned that continued neglect could worsen living conditions and further expose residents to security risks.

Contacted on Sunday, the spokesperson for Ikeja Electric, Kingsley Okotie, asked our correspondent to send a message via WhatsApp.

However, he had yet to respond to the message as of the time this report was filed.