The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported a significant power outage caused by vandalism. The incident occurred near Millennium Park, where vandals removed crucial 132kV underground cables, leading to widespread disruptions in electricity supply across the capital.
According to Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, the stolen cables are vital for transporting bulk electricity to the Central Area Transmission Substation. This substation plays a key role in distributing power through eight feeders to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), which serves customers in central Abuja and surrounding areas.
The vandalism has had a severe impact, cutting off over 60% of the power supply to major neighborhoods, including Maitama, Wuse, Jabi, Life Camp, Asokoro, Utako, Mabushi, and even parts of the Presidential Villa. TCN engineers have been dispatched to assess the damage and begin repairs, but as of now, there is no timeline for when power will be fully restored.
In light of this incident, TCN is urging citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to power infrastructure. “We must work together to protect our transmission equipment and installations,” Mbah stated. “This is crucial for the development of our nation’s power sector.”
This latest act of vandalism underscores a growing concern about the security of Nigeria’s energy infrastructure. The country faced numerous challenges in 2024, including multiple national grid collapses and extensive damage to transmission towers. The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, noted that these issues were often exacerbated by sabotage and vandalism.
To combat these challenges, the Federal Government has allocated over N12 billion in its proposed 2025 budget for the insurance of sensitive assets. This funding aims to mitigate losses from future incidents and ensure a quicker recovery for the power sector.
As Abuja residents grapple with the fallout from this latest outage, the need for community involvement in safeguarding critical infrastructure has never been clearer. TCN remains committed to restoring services while calling on all Nigerians to help protect their power supply networks from further acts of vandalism
