Electricity consumers in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, and Maiduguri in Borno State have been thrown into darkness as vandals destroyed the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN) tower 372 along the 330kV Gombe-Damaturu-Maiduguri transmission line.
TCN General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, who disclosed the development in a statement on Sunday, said the tower was brought down by the vandals on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at about 1:44 am.
Mrs. Mbah explained that the vandals cut off all four tower footings, resulting in the collapse of tower, which was discovered by TCN’s linesmen deployed on emergency patrol.
She, however, disclosed that effort is ongoing by the company’s engineers in the interim to backfeed Damaturu through a 33kV transmission line from Potiskum, while Maiduguri town will be fed from the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP).
According to her, work would commence immediately to dismantle and evacuate the collapsed tower for reconstruction and restoration of the transmission line.
The GM said, the company frowned at the incessant attack on the national assets and enjoined citizens to be vigilant in protecting these assets and also to report suspicious activities or persons around the transmission infrastructure to law enforcement agents or TCN offices in that vicinity.
She said, the company is committed to a quick restoration of bulk power to the affected areas and would expedite reconstruction work on the tower to ensure that it is completed as soon as possible.
