Blackout Hits Damaturu Following Vandal Attack on Transmission Company of Nigeria Tower
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported that suspected vandals attacked its transmission line supplying power to Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State.
According to a statement by the General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, the incident occurred September 21, 2024, when vandals brought down tower Number T372 along the Gombe-Damaturu-Maiduguri 330kV transmission line at approximately 1:44 AM. This attack has caused a complete power outage in Damaturu and parts of Maiduguri in Borno State.
“This time, the vandals cut off all four tower footings, resulting in the collapse of tower T372 along the Gombe-Damaturu-Maiduguri section, which was discovered by TCN’s linesmen deployed on emergency patrol.
“Following this destructive attack, effort is ongoing by TCN’s engineers in the interim, to back feed Damaturu through a 33kV transmission line from Potiskum, while Maiduguri town will be fed from the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP)”.
TCN’s investigation revealed that the vandals severed all four footings of the tower, leading to its collapse. TCN’s linesmen, who were on emergency patrol, discovered the damage. In response to the outage, TCN engineers are working on temporary solutions to restore power. They plan to back feed Damaturu using a 33kV transmission line from Potiskum, while Maiduguri will receive electricity from the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP).
The company expressed concern over the ongoing attacks on critical national infrastructure and called on citizens to be vigilant. TCN urged the public to report any suspicious activities around transmission assets to law enforcement or TCN offices. This community involvement is crucial for protecting these essential facilities.
TCN is committed to quickly restoring power to the affected areas. They will commence immediate efforts to dismantle the collapsed tower and begin reconstruction to ensure that normal power supply is resumed as swiftly as possible.
