Residents of the Akpehe area in Makurdi, Benue State, have been plunged into darkness following the disconnection of their electricity supply by power officials, who are demanding that households purchase prepaid meters at the cost of ₦120,000 before reconnection.
In a strongly worded report by Evan Julius Ugbede-ojo, the disconnection has sparked outrage as many residents view the mandatory purchase of expensive meters as an unbearable financial burden, especially since prepaid metering is part of government reforms intended to reduce estimated billing rather than impose heavy costs on struggling citizens.
The statement calls on relevant authorities and regulatory bodies overseeing electricity distribution in Benue State and Nigeria to urgently intervene in the matter.
The appeal emphasizes that electricity is an essential service, not a privilege, and demands fair treatment for the people of Akpehe. It proposes two solutions: providing affordable or free prepaid meters as promised under government policies, or reconnecting affected residents to the previous postpaid system.
The residents are urging swift action from concerned authorities to restore power supply to the affected communities and ensure transparent implementation of metering policies.
