Hundreds of residents of Ndokwa Nation on Monday, took to the streets in protest over prolonged power outage in the area, demanding an immediate connection to the Independent Power Plant (IPP) located in Okpai in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State.
The angry demonstrators barricaded the ever-busy Ughelli–Asaba Expressway at Kwale and blocked access roads leading to Ogume and other neighbouring Ndokwa communities, causing traffic gridlock and disruption of movement in the area.
Carrying placards bearing inscriptions such as “Light up Ndokwa Nation” and “Connect us to the IPP”, the protesters decried what they described as years of neglect and marginalization, despite hosting one of Nigeria’s major power-generating facilities.
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“We have suffered enough,” said a youth leader, Enete Azubuike, one of the protest organizers.
“There’s a power plant in Okpai, yet we live in darkness. Our businesses are dying, our children can’t study at night, and we are being treated like second-class citizens in our own land.”
The protesters are demanding a direct connection to the Okpai IPP, insisting that host communities deserve first access to electricity generated from their area.
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The protest comes days after the Delta State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, who hails from the area, addressed the peoples’ concerns in a live interview on national television.
He acknowledged the longstanding issue of power blackout but alleged that the renewed agitation might be politically motivated, given its timing.
However, the protesters rejected the suggestion, maintaining that their demands are genuine and have been ignored for far too long.
“This is not about politics,” another protester retorted. “It’s about our rights and our survival. We will not back down until something is done.”
They called on the state Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to intervene immediately, warning that failure to act could cost him politically in the next elections.
As of the time of filing this report, security operatives were monitoring the protest, while movement along major roads in the area remained paralyzed.
There has been no official response from the state government as of press time.
