By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Some residents in Oyo State are now plunged into total darkness following the debts faceoff between the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and the state government.
As at present, all the major towns in Oyo State, particularly Ibadan , Oyo, Ogbomoso, Iseyin among others are now in total darkness as the power supply to the towns have been dis rupted following the sealing off of the IBDEC by the Oyo state government over alleged tax evasion.
The total power outage became noticeable few hours after the Oyo State government embarked on sealing off of IBDEC offices across the state as a result of the company’s alleged failure to pay its revenue tax of over N400million to the Oyo state Board of Internal Revenue.
Our investigations revealed that the blackout is now creating untold hardship for residents across Oyo state as it has paralysed economic and social activities in the major towns in the state.
In some parts of Ibadan, the outage is now causing tension over fears of security threats in some areas in the where cases where armed robbery cases are rampant.
As at the time of filing this report, Oyo state government is still insisting that IBEDC is owing it debt of unpaid two years revenue tax and that there will be no going back in its action on the sealing off of all IBEDC.
Oyo state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatubosun said IBDEC has been owing revenues totalling over N400 million in the last two years and that the government approached the High Court of Justice in Ibadan to seek an order to seal off the premises of IBEDC.
Dr Olatubosun alleged that IBEDC has been ignoring bills served it by the men of the Oyo State Board of Internal Revenue Service for the past two years, adding, IBEDC has never in any of their communication with the government revenue agency, objected to the claim of the figure owed,
Contacted , the IBEDC Chief Coordinating Officer, Engr John Ayodele blamed the total power outage on the sealing off of all IBEDC offices by the Oyo state government.
Engr Ayodele said it will be a great risk for IBEDC to put on power when its officers are not allowed into their respective working places, adding that should there be any issue there won’t be anyone to take care of it.
The IBEDC Chief Coordinating Officer however denied knowledge of total blackout across Oyo state but aware of that of the Ibadan
.
The total power outage became noticeable few hours after the Oyo State government embarked on sealing off of IBDEC offices across the state as a result of the company’s alleged failure to pay its revenue tax of over N400million to the Oyo state Board of Internal Revenue.
Our investigations revealed that the blackout is now creating untold hardship for residents across Oyo state as it has paralysed economic and social activities in the major towns in the state.
In some parts of Ibadan, the outage is now causing tension over fears of security threats in some areas in the where cases where armed robbery cases are rampant.
As at the time of filing this report, Oyo state government is still insisting that IBEDC is owing it debt of unpaid two years revenue tax and that there will be no going back in its action on the sealing off of all IBEDC.
Oyo state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatubosun said IBDEC has been owing revenues totalling over N400 million in the last two years and that the government approached the High Court of Justice in Ibadan to seek an order to seal off the premises of IBEDC.
Dr Olatubosun alleged that IBEDC has been ignoring bills served it by the men of the Oyo State Board of Internal Revenue Service for the past two years, adding, IBEDC has never in any of their communication with the government revenue agency, objected to the claim of the figure owed,
Contacted , the IBEDC Chief Coordinating Officer, Engr John Ayodele blamed the total power outage on the sealing off of all IBEDC offices by the Oyo state government.
Engr Ayodele said it will be a great risk for IBEDC to put on power when its officers are not allowed into their respective working places, adding that should there be any issue there won’t be anyone to take care of it.
The IBEDC Chief Coordinating Officer however denied knowledge of total blackout across Oyo state but aware of that of the Ibadan
