… as power supply disrupted in Yobe, Maiduguri

… TCN works on temporary alternatives, via Potiskum, Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant

Oredola Adeola

Just seven months and 20 days after its full reconstruction and energization, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), T372 tower along the Gombe-Damaturu-Maiduguri 330kV transmission line, in the early hours of Sunday, September 22, 2024, was brought down by vandals, cutting off power supply from Damaturu in Yobe State to Maiduguri in Borno State.

Ndidi Mbah, TCN, General Manager, Public Affairs, made this known in a statement obtained by Advisors Reports.

According to Mbah, the incident occurred at approximately 1:44 am, causing the collapse of tower T372, which led to widespread power outages affecting Yobe and Borno States.

The TCN’s GM Public Affairs, explained that the vandals deliberately cut off all four tower footings, resulting in the structure’s collapse.

She added that the damage was discovered by TCN’s emergency patrol team dispatched to monitor the line.

This attack has left Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, and much of Maiduguri in Borno State without power.

In an effort to manage the situation, Mbah stated that TCN’s engineers are working to temporarily restore power to Damaturu via a 33kV transmission line from Potiskum, while Maiduguri will receive power from the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP).

“Work will commence immediately to dismantle and evacuate the collapsed tower for reconstruction and restoration of the transmission line,” Mbah said, stressing TCN’s commitment to fast-tracking the repairs.

She called on citizens to be more vigilant in protecting critical national assets and urged them to report any suspicious activities around the country’s power infrastructure to law enforcement agencies or TCN offices in their vicinity.

Advisors Reports’ check showed that that incident follows the recent successful reconstruction and energization of the same 330kV transmission line just seven months and 20 days ago, after a similar bout of vandalism rendered it inoperative for months.

The Gombe-Damaturu-Maiduguri line is a crucial component of the power supply to northeastern Nigeria, which has faced persistent challenges due to insurgency and the resulting destruction of infrastructure.

TCN has continued to express concerns over the frequency of these attacks, which severely impact the reliability of electricity supply in the region.

Mbah in that statement emphasised that TCN remains focused on ensuring a quick return of power to the affected states while also urging communities to take an active role in safeguarding national assets.