Residents turn vigilantes over 11-month blackout in Ogun communities
August 3, 2026 12:00 am
The new transformer. Photo: Joseph Olusoji
The residents of several communities in the Ogijo area of Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State have resorted to conducting night patrols to protect their neighbourhoods after an 11-month power outage, caused by a faulty transformer, left the areas in darkness.
The communities, including Freedom Estate, Seidu Central, Seidu Estate, Blessed Estate, Ifesowapo, and Agbajowa, lamented the situation in separate interviews with a PUNCH Metro correspondent on Saturday.
They said the issue began after their transformer became faulty and remained unrepaired for several months, prompting them to contribute money among themselves to purchase a new transformer.
Speaking with our correspondent, a resident, Joseph Olusoji, said the transformer serving the communities developed a fault about 11 months ago, and efforts to repair it were unsuccessful.
He noted that upon realising the faulty transformer could not be repaired, landlords in the communities resorted to contributing money among themselves to purchase a new transformer.
Olusoji said that after purchasing the new transformer, the communities realised they could not afford the installation cost, prompting them to begin seeking intervention.
According to him, the prolonged blackout has affected businesses that rely on electricity in the communities.
He said, “The issue of the blackout in our communities began about 11 months ago when our transformer developed a fault. We tried to fix it, but it did not work. So, we decided to purchase a new one through crowdfunding from individual donations.
“After we purchased the transformer, we realised that the cost of installing it was expensive and we could not afford it. We have tried to get help, but all was to no avail. That is why we are seeking intervention.
“The blackout has affected businesses and has also posed a security threat to us. We now rely on community policing efforts by residents to keep our communities safe. We take turns conducting night patrols because of the blackout.”
Another resident, Abayomi Onashola, said landlords in the communities contributed N100,000 each to purchase the transformer, adding that they now required N12m to install it.
Onashola said, “We contributed N100,000 each to purchase the transformer, and N12m is needed to install it and restore electricity supply, which we cannot afford.
“The blackout is affecting businesses and security. We have had to resort to conducting night patrols because of the blackout. Many businesses have also been affected.”
Also speaking, a trader and retiree in Seidu Estate, who did not want to be identified, said the blackout and the high cost of petrol had crippled her drinks business and subjected her to hardship.
She said, “I am a retiree, and I sell soft drinks and sachet water. Since the blackout began, my business has been stalled because I cannot chill my products. My children bought a generator for me as an alternative, but the cost of fuelling it has become unbearable and unprofitable.
“We are seeking the help of government agencies and the relevant authorities to install this new transformer and restore electricity supply to our communities.”
When contacted for a reaction, the spokesperson for the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Angela Olanrewaju, referred our correspondent to the organisation’s Media Relations Officer, Daniel Adugbo, on Friday.
Adugbo promised to get back to our correspondent but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
Johnson Idowu is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over four years of experience covering politics, education, metro, and environment. He specializes in producing insightful and well-researched reports that inform and engage readers. Johnson’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a dedication to accurate, audience-focused journalism.
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