Youths Protest 16-year Power Outage, Block Major Roads

Hundreds of protesting youths stormed major roads in Kwale, Ndokwa West local government area of Delta state, over the lack of electricity in Ndokwa land for over two decades.

Despite the relative calm, tension mounted in the community yesterday, with businesses shutting down and residents expressing fear over possible escalation.

The demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions such as “Light Up Ndokwa Nation”, “No Light, No Peace”, and “We are Tired of Darkness”.

All commercial activities have been brought to a standstill as the protests continue into the afternoon, while vehicular movements have been halted.

The protesters, predominantly youths, have erected canopies at Ogume Junction, a strategic location along the Asaba–Kwale–Ozoro highway.

The demonstrators expressed deep frustration over the blackout and demanded that the Okpai Power Plant Step-Down facility, which supplies light to Ndokwa communities, be restored.

They argued that despite the Okpai gas reserves and power installations in the area contributing significantly to the national grid, the Ndokwa nation languishes in darkness.

The demonstrators effectively cut off traffic flow between Asaba, Kwale, and Ozoro. Vehicles heading in either direction were forced to a halt, with long queues of stranded passengers forming along the route.

The demonstrators also mounted canopies and blocked the Technical College junction in Kwale, denying passage to vehicles travelling along the Asaba–Ughelli Road.

Military personnel and police officers were stationed at various points to monitor the situation, though no reports of clashes between the protesters and security forces were made.

A spokesperson for the protesters, who declined to mention his name, said the protest reflects a long-standing grievance in Ndokwa land, where residents feel marginalised and neglected despite being host to vital energy infrastructure.

“The Delta state government and the Federal Ministry of Power should intervene and address the demands of the protesting youths before the situation spirals out of control”, he warned.

A senior police officer overseeing security operations in the area declined to comment when approached by our correspondent, instead directing inquiries to the Delta State Police Headquarters in Asaba.

The Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme, and former Deputy Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly (DSHA), Hon Friday Osanebi, who are from the area, declared full support for the Monday “Light Up Ndokwa” protest.