Residents of Gombe, Yola, and Jalingo are currently experiencing a power outage following the destruction of four transmission towers along the Jos-Gombe transmission line by vandals.
Naijaonpoint reports that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) confirmed the incident, which has significantly disrupted electricity supply in these areas.
The General Manager of Public Affairs at TCN, Ndidi Mbah, revealed details of the incident in a statement issued on Monday. According to Mbah, the vandalism occurred around 3:32 pm on Monday, leading to the collapse of towers and the loss of essential infrastructure crucial for power transmission.
“The Transmission Company of Nigeria hereby states that four towers along the Jos – Gombe 330kV transmission line have been vandalized at about 3:32 pm today, 22nd April 2024,” Mbah said.
She further explained that the initial tripping of the 330kV transmission line led to efforts to restore it, which were unsuccessful, prompting an inspection that revealed the extent of the damage.
“TCN notes that when the 330kV transmission line tripped, its operators attempted to restore it to service but it tripped again, prompting the dispatch of TCN linesmen to trace the line to detect and rectify the fault,” she added.
During their inspection, TCN’s engineering crew discovered that towers 288, 289, 290, and 291 were not only vandalized but had also collapsed due to the severity of the damage, with some tower members being stolen.
This disruption has affected the bulk power supply to Gombe, Yola, and Jalingo substations, consequently impacting electricity distribution in parts of Yola and Jos Distribution Companies’ franchise areas.
The TCN has initiated measures to mitigate the effects on consumers by trying to back-feed Gombe through a 132kV transmission line from Bauchi and subsequently through other routes including Ashaka, Potiskum, Damaturu, and Billiri/Savannah.
Mbah assured the public, “We will do everything possible to restore supply to the affected areas while efforts are made to reconstruct the four vandalized towers.”
This incident is part of a troubling trend affecting Nigeria’s power infrastructure, it is similar to an event in February when Abuja was thrown into darkness due to the vandalization of TCN towers.
The TCN, however, called for increased vigilance and support from local communities to prevent such incidents and protect Nigeria’s critical power infrastructure.
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