Yobe, Damaturu in Darkness as Boko Haram allegedly vandalized electricity transmitter

Residents of Yobe and Damaturu have been thrown into darkness by the action of unknown vandalizers who sabotaged the state’s electricity by destroying a 330 kVA transmitter. The Transmission Company of Nigeria confirmed that its tower T372 was vandalized, bringing down the 330 kVA transmission tower, which pulled down tower T373 along the same transmission line route.

The incident, reported to have taken place on Thursday at 09:18 pm, resulted in a power outage in Yobe and Borno state. This is because the vandalized 330 kVA transmitter conveys electricity from Gombe State to Yobe and Maiduguri, the capital of Borno.

The Special Adviser to Yobe State governor, General Dahiru Abdulsalam (Rtd), has attributed the attack to the Boko Haram sect. Speaking to journalists on Friday, he explained that the terrorists blew up the 330 kVA transmitter using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the Kasesa area. In March 2023, Boko Haram carried out a similar attack in Maiduguri, cutting off the region’s supply of electricity. There is no certainty that they are behind the Yobe situation; no criminal group has yet taken credit for the vandalism.

It has been established, though, that the towers were brought down using explosives. Residents of the area confirmed that they heard a loud explosion before the tower came down. While investigating the cause of the power outage, TCN engineers found evidence of explosives used by the vandals. TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, stated that the company is managing the situation. A contractor has been assigned to begin the reconstruction of the vandalized transmission towers.

“TCN strongly condemns the incident and regrets the inconvenience caused to the government and people of Yobe and Borno States and pledges to do all that is possible to quickly re-erect the towers to restore power supply to the affected areas,” Mbah said.

She appealed to the host communities to support TCN in fighting against vandalism and hinted at the preservation of power infrastructures nationwide.

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