Blackout In Borno, Yobe As Terrorists Vandalise TCN Transmission Line

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists, on Thursday, brought down the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN) Gombe-Damaturu 330kv transmission line around Katsaita village in Yobe State, thereby causing blackout in parts of Borno and Yobe States.

The TCN transmission tower had been a constant target of the Boko Haram terrorists who had at different times bombed or destroyed the tower to register their relevance to the people of the states following their decimation by the Nigerian military.

However, a statement issued by the General Manager (GM) Public Affairs, TCN, Ndidi Mba, which was obtained by our correspondent on Friday in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, said the incident which took place at about 21:18pm of Thursday, December 21, 2023, resulted in power outage in parts of North-East region, precisely Yobe and Borno States.

Mbah said, “The Transmission Company of Nigeria hereby states that one of its towers, tower T372 around Katsaita Village in Yobe State was vandalised, yesterday, bringing down the 330kV transmission tower which pulled down tower T373 along the same transmission line route.

“The incident, which took place at about 21:18 of yesterday, the 21st of December, 2023, caused the failure of power supply to parts of the North East, namely, Yobe and Borno States.

“While patrolling the line to ascertain the cause of the cut in power supply, TCN engineers discovered the fallen towers, and the villagers confirmed they heard a loud explosion before the tower came down. On closer investigation, the engineers found evidence of explosive used by the vandals in bringing down the towers.

“Presently, TCN mobilized one of its contractors to the site of the incident to commence the reconstruction of the transmission towers damaged by the vandals.

“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.

“We are once again making an urgent appeal to host communities to collaborate with TCN in the fight against vandalism and the necessary preservation of power infrastructures nationwide, which is our collective asset.”