Outrage in Umuahia as Residents Storm EEDC Office Over 400% Hike in Electricity Bills

|By Chinwendu Nwani

Umuahia, Abia State — Tension flared in Umuahia on Tuesday as nearly 1,000 angry residents stormed the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) office on Bende Road to protest what they described as “outrageous” and “crazy” electricity bills.

The demonstrators, drawn from various parts of the state capital, accused EEDC of exploiting consumers through inflated bills, claiming that charges for September 2025 skyrocketed by over 400 percent compared to the previous month.

Residents said they were slammed with bills ranging between ₦40,000 and ₦60,000 per flat—even in areas that had no power supply—far above the ₦10,000 to ₦12,000 they paid in August.

Chanting protest songs and wielding placards, the irate crowd accused the distribution company of pushing them to the brink.
“Last month, I got a ₦12,000 bill, but this month they gave me ₦45,000. Where will a petty trader like me get the money to pay such bills?” lamented Mr. Kelechi Anamekwe, a resident of Enugu Road, Umuahia.

The protest forced EEDC staff to vacate their offices as the mob flooded the premises. From there, the residents marched to the Abia State Government House, calling on Governor Alex Otti to intervene and halt what they called “economic strangulation through billing fraud.”

At the Government House, a senior government official received the protesters and assured them that their grievances would be communicated to the governor for prompt action.

The protest disrupted activities in parts of Umuahia, underscoring rising public frustration over electricity tariffs and inconsistent power supply in the region.