By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
Residents of New Agric Layout in Agbarho, Delta State, say they can no longer endure what they describe as “punitive, vindictive and unlawful” electricity disconnections allegedly carried out by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC). Many families recount nights of heat, spoilt food, and grounded small businesses hardships they insist no Nigerian should suffer in 2025 under any regulated power system.
The community, led by Olorogun Ezekiel Okorode Esq. and Mr. Cletus Opukeme, has now taken a bold step that resonates beyond Delta State: they have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the electricity provider and petitioned the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), BEDC headquarters, and the Delta State Government, demanding immediate reconnection and an end to alleged intimidation.
Their petition accuses the Agbarho Station Manager of ignoring existing complaints before NERC and BEDC, and of carrying out targeted mass disconnections despite residents making part-payments on disputed bills, actions the community says violate multiple NERC regulations.
Residents say the disconnections have caused real suffering, children unable to sleep, elderly persons battling the heat, traders losing perishable goods, and artisans shutting down daily work due to power outages they insist were unjustly imposed.
“This is not only unlawful, it is inhumane,” a resident lamented. “We made payments in good faith, yet they punished us for speaking up.”
The dispute stems from what residents describe as an “unjustified migration” to Band A and monthly estimated bills of ₦95,000 to ₦100,000, mostly for unmetered homes. One resident who received the ₦95,000 bill said he still paid ₦30,000, only for BEDC to allegedly intensify disconnections in what they interpret as retaliation.
The petitioners argue that disconnections are prohibited while billing disputes are pending, and insist BEDC’s actions amount to abuse of office. They now demand reconnection of all affected homes, suspension of further disconnections, and full compliance with NERC guidelines.
Failure to act within 48 hours, they warn, will trigger legal action, damages claims, and escalation to national civil-rights bodies.
For many Nigerians, the Agbarho confrontation reflects a familiar national problem, arbitrary billing, estimated charges, and allegations of intimidation by electricity providers. Community leaders say the outcome of this case will set a national precedent for how ordinary citizens can challenge perceived abuses in the power sector.
“We will not be intimidated,” the residents declared in a joint statement. “This fight is not just for Agbarho. It is for every Nigerian who has ever suffered from unlawful electricity disconnection.”
As the countdown begins, Nigerians across the country are watching to see how regulators and government authorities respond whether they will enforce the rights of consumers or allow another community’s cry for justice to go unanswered.