Locals and other key stakeholders in Niger State have said the vandalised Shiroro-Kaduna 330kV lines 1 and 2, which plunged most parts of Northern Nigeria into darkness, have been attacked by bandits several times.
Each of the affected lines, through which bulk power is transmitted to parts of the northwestern states, is capable of carrying 600 megawatts of electricity.
Locals told Daily Trust that the lines extend from Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Dam, through Chiri axis, one of the communities which have suffered many attacks in Munya LGA, and extends towards Sakin-Pawa to Kafin-Koro in Paikoro LGA.
A traditional ruler in Munya LGA, who preferred anonymity, told our correspondent that the lines are on a bandits’ route, the reason why it is difficult for engineers of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to quickly tackle the problem. “You cannot predict when they will strike,” he added.
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“However, truly, attacks have reduced even though some people are yet to return to their homes,” he also said.
Bandits have on several occasions attacked communities in the axis including Chiri, Kuchi in Munya LGA and Kafin-Koro in Paikoro LGA of Niger State.
The fear that the bandits could strike at any point presented a challenge to the TCN to move in to fix power transmission lines in the axis as the restoration work takes hours, it was gathered.
One of the locals, Mustapha Ahmed said, “For now, there is relative peace in our communities. But you know you cannot predict when these criminals will strike.”
How we suffered kidnap, ambush – Engr Paiko
In December 2023, the Regional General Manager, Transmission, Shiroro Region of the TCN, Engr Maiwada Sarkin-Bello Paiko, revealed that bandits had on several occasions threatened to take over the Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Dam.
He made this known during a media conference at the Regional Headquarters of the TCN in Shiroro, Niger State.
He said while the TCN had carried out total overhaul and replaced obsolete transformers and transmission lines that were installed since 1980 towards achieving stable power transmission and distribution to Nigerians, insecurity in the area had hindered effective maintenance of the 330KV Shiroro-Kaduna line; 330KV Shiroro-Kamtape line; 330KV Gwagwalada line; and 132KV Shiroro-Tegina line among others, over the years.
“At the beginning of the Ramadan fast in 2022, one of my staff was kidnapped. It took a lot of effort to secure his release. He spent almost three months in bandits’ captivity before he was released.
“But the worst case we had was when we had a problem with our Shiroro-Kaduna line. We sent our lines’ men, they went there for maintenance with security operatives. Unfortunately, they were ambushed by bandits. About three security men lost their lives but as God would have it, all our staff were saved.
“In fact, one of our staff was not seen until after three days and he told us that, he was just running in the bush; until he found himself in a village and asked for directions back to the power station.
“We almost lost hope that he would be found, but as God would have it, he returned unhurt. Honestly speaking, because of that, we could not risk sending our staff on maintenance of these lines again whenever an issue was reported. We had to report at our headquarters which moved in and the Presidency sent security operatives to protect us and safeguard the facility.
“But bandits kept on threatening that they would take over the dam. But we thank God, the government intervened and sent military taskforce who are now protecting us and safeguarding the facility.”
Engr Paiko said vandalisation of electrical facilities will undermine power transmission to Nigerians.
Speaking on the efforts to revive the transmission lines under the Shiroro Region, he said TCN had replaced the obsolete protection relay with 18 modern circuit breakers and 36 modern numerical relays on 330KV.
Insecurity slowed down restoration – TCN
Meanwhile, TCN said the restoration of the Apir-Ugaji line has also taken long to complete due to insecurity in the area.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday, TCN Managing Director, Engr Abdulaziz, said their engineers are working under the surveillance of security personnel.
He, however, assured that electricity would be restored to the North by Sunday.
He said work on the line, which was an alternative route to supply power to Kano, Kaduna and other major cities in the North, will be completed in two to three days’ time.
“When the Shiroro-Mando line is out, the other gateway used to feed the northern part of the country is the Ugwaji-Apir line. Unfortunately, that line was also vandalised. We have line 1 and line 2. There is a video we posted on social media and you will see how those cables were cut.
“For line 2, almost five span of the line was vandalised. As I am talking to you now, our engineers have been working to make sure that they restore that line. But even in that area, we have to get military escort before our people can work. Anytime it is getting to 6 p.m., they have to leave the place.
“Line 1, which can carry 400 megawatts, is going to be ready between today (Tuesday) and (Wednesday) tomorrow. The second line is going to be ready latest by Sunday that is in five days’ time.
“The minister also explained this in the State House Monday. So once we complete these two lines, we will be able to send at least 500 to 600 megawatts to the northern region. This is where we are now.”
On what the company is doing to stop the vandalism on transmission line, he said, “We have been cooperating with owners of the land, that’s with the local people. We have also been cooperating with the security agencies, with civil defence, with the Nigeria Police and with the army to make sure that they patrol our transmission lines.
“We also used to engage locals, even provide them with transportation and phone so that if they see anything happening in our transmission line, they will quickly call us. So we are working on that,” he said.
On his part, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said this is not the first time the Shiroro-Mando line will be vandalised.
He revealed that the last vandalism did not gain public attention due to the prompt repairs.
“It was restored within one or two days, but this time around, it was a more serious vandalisation and there was actually security threats to those people that were supposed to go in there and fix it.”
Adelabu, while reacting to questions yesterday from senators regarding the power outage affecting the North and the recurring grid collapses across the country, announced that electricity would be restored to Northern Nigeria within the next three days as a temporary measure through the Ugwuaji-Makurdi transmission line, which could cover approximately 80% of affected states.
He said efforts are underway to access the damaged grid with the assistance of security agencies.
“We are working with security agencies to access the grid currently occupied by vandals,” Adelabu added.
Terrorists frustrating effort to resolve power outage in North – Sen. Barau
The Deputy President of the Senate, Barau I. Jibrin, has said “well-armed terrorists” are responsible for the prolonged blackout in the northern part of the country.
He disclosed this yesterday while briefing his colleagues on the current electricity crisis in some parts of the North at the National Assembly.
He said “well-armed’ terrorists were occupying strategic places around the source of damaged power transmission lines that have caused blackouts in many northern states.
Barau, however, said security agencies are working to get to the spot and eradicate or remove the threat that has been there for a while.
The Kano Senator also said the TCN is working with the National Security Adviser (NSA) and security agencies to restore electricity supply to the affected states in the region.
Reps want North’s power outage problem fixed
The House of Representatives yesterday reiterated its calls on the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), TCN and other bodies saddled with the provision of power in the country to speed up and fix the power outage affecting the North.
On Monday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed concern over the blackout in the Northern region.
In a statement, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, Information and Strategy, said his principal “Is now leading efforts to end the disruption that has paralysed social and economic activities, summoning the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.”
“In a meeting with the Minister of Power, who briefed him on efforts made by the Transmission Company of Nigeria to repair the damaged Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines, the president directed a long-term solution to the problem,” the presidential aide said.
“To ensure that restoration work continues unhindered, President Tinubu also directed the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to work with the Army and Air Force to deploy adequate security personnel, including aerial cover, to protect the engineers who are fixing the damaged transmission line,” the statement added.
Governors of the 19 northern states met in Kaduna on Monday, alongside top traditional rulers from the region, where they spoke on the vandalisation of electricity transmission infrastructure which plunged most of the Northern states into darkness.
Daily Trust reports that most parts of the northern region have been in darkness for almost 10 days due to a fault on the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line, a development that has further worsened the hardship being experienced in the region.
Timeline of attacks on transmission lines
Between 2019 and 2024, transmission lines serving Borno and Yobe states suffered repeated terrorists’ attacks. The attacks include those of May 7, 2019 on the 330/132kV transmission substation at Molai in Maiduguri; January 26, 2021, powerlines at Mainok area along Maiduguri/Damaturu (Borno); March 2021, two transmission towers along Maiduguri-Damaturu line (Borno); September 17, 2021, multiple towers along the Damaturu-Maiduguri Transmission line (Borno); December 21, 2023, tower T372 around Katsaita Village in Yobe State; December 28, 2023, three towers along the Maiduguri – Damaturu transmission (Borno); February 1, 2024, tower 388 along the Jos-Bauchi, 132kV Single Circuit transmission line (which affected Borno and Yobe states).
Also, on February 23, 2024, ‘Tower T377 and T378’ on Gombe-Damaturu 330kV transmission line (Yobe) were destroyed; on June 11, 2024, towers 193 and 194 along the 330kV transmission line (Borno, Damaturu-Maiduguri 330 Kilo Volt (KV Single Circuit) transmission lines); and September 21, 2024, tower No T372, along Gombe-Damaturu-Maiduguri 330kV transmission line (2 Towers), Yobe.
From Abubakar Akote (Minna), Faruk Shuaibu, Saawua Terzungwe, Balarabe Alkassim & Haruna Ibrahim (Abuja)
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