Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) has reported that more than 80 transformers were vandalized and looted across its coverage areas during the recent power outage in northern Nigeria.
The company also revealed that large quantities of cables supplying power to local communities were stolen, with Plateau State bearing the brunt of the damage.
The company’s Chief Technical Officer, Eng. Hamisu Wakili Jigawa, shared these details with Daily Trust at the company’s headquarters on Friday.
He explained that the vandalism had severely disrupted the supply of electricity to affected areas.
Eng. Jigawa further added that the vandals sometimes emptied transformers of their oil, coils, and other vital components, leaving only the empty tanks behind.
“The vandalism of the transformers and stolen of the cables were quite challenging to us. The level of vandalism is too much. Some lines entirely vandalized.
“Aluminum conductors feeding some communities entirely vandalized. We have about 213 kvs that are completely out of circuits for a number of day. It was yesterday that we were able to fix the last one.
“We have lost a lot of distribution assets especially distribution transformers and cables. In some cases, the vandals open the transformer, remove the oil, coil and entirely everything. They only live empty tank,” he explained.
Eng. Jigawa urged local communities to stay vigilant and protect electrical infrastructure, warning that continued vandalism would only lead to more power outages.