Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have plunged Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, into darkness after cutting off the city from the national electricity grid. The attack damaged vital equipment serving the state capital and its surrounding areas.
Credible sources from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) confirmed the incident, stating that Damaturu and its environs are currently disconnected from the grid due to damage inflicted by the insurgents.
LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that the attack targeted two 330KV transmission towers, bringing them down on Tuesday, December 21st, 2023. This has resulted in a complete blackout across the affected areas.
Residents of Damaturu, who rely heavily on motorized boreholes powered by electricity, are facing severe disruptions to both business and daily life.
“We don’t have water,” said one resident. “Most of these boreholes rely on electricity to operate. It’s been over 24 hours now, and we don’t know when power will be restored. We’re really suffering.”
In a press statement, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, confirmed the attack on one of their towers, identified as T372. The incident, which occurred at approximately 9:18 PM on December 21st, 2023, caused power outages across parts of the North East, particularly in Yobe and Borno states.
According to the statement, TCN engineers discovered the fallen tower and received reports of a loud explosion from nearby villages just before the tower came down. Upon closer inspection, they found evidence of explosives used by the vandals to bring down the towers.
TCN has mobilized contractors to the site to begin the reconstruction of the damaged towers. The company strongly condemned the attack, expressing regret for the inconvenience caused to the government and people of Yobe and Borno states. They also pledged to do everything possible to restore power supply to the affected areas as quickly as possible.
TCN further appealed to host communities to collaborate in the fight against vandalism and the protection of power infrastructure, which is a vital asset for the nation.
