Students from the University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State, staged a peaceful protest to decry an 82-day power outage at the University College Hospital (UCH).

UCH, the teaching hospital where UI medical students undergo training, has been without electricity since late last year due to outstanding debts owed to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).

Speaking to journalists, the President of the UI Students’ Union Government, Comrade Bolaji Aweda, described the blackout as prolonged and disruptive, saying it had severely affected academic activities in both the hospital and the university.

Aweda stated: “The blackout has persisted for over 82 days, leaving students unable to study effectively. This situation arises from a power struggle between the authorities of IBEDC and UCH. It has crippled the daily lives of our students.”

He highlighted the students’ demands, including the immediate restoration of power to UCH and similar hospitals nationwide facing power issues. Additionally, the protesters called for the implementation of a 50% electricity tariff discount announced by the Federal Ministry of Power in 2024 and an overhaul of the country’s healthcare sector.

Student leader Sunday Tobilola added that the peaceful demonstrations would be complemented by further engagements with stakeholders to resolve the issue. He warned that failure to address the power challenges would lead to intensified action by the students.

The protesters marched from UCH to the Governor’s Office at the Oyo State Secretariat in Ibadan, where they were received by the Governor’s Executive Assistant on Security, Sunday Odukoya.

Odukoya assured the protesters that the state government would liaise with the Federal Government to find a resolution to the crisis.