Vandals Steal TCN Underground Cables, Plunge Abuja into Darkness

Abuja experienced a significant blackout as vandals targeted the underground transmission cables of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). The incident, which caused disruptions across the city, even affected the Presidential Villa and critical areas within the Federal Capital Territory.

The TCN confirmed that the vandalism occurred on a key transmission line, leading to a sharp drop in power supply. This outage has sparked widespread concern, highlighting the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in the country.

In a statement, the TCN described the act as a severe setback to its efforts to stabilize the national power grid. “We regret the inconvenience caused by this incident and assure the public that our engineers are working around the clock to repair the damaged cables and restore power,” the company stated.

The attack on the transmission lines reportedly disrupted electricity supply to government offices, businesses, and residential areas in Abuja. Sources indicate that the stolen cables are essential components of the power grid, and their removal led to a significant disruption in power distribution.

Authorities have expressed alarm over the rise in cases of vandalism targeting public infrastructure. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has called for stricter security measures to protect transmission facilities across the country. A senior official at the commission stated, “This incident underscores the urgent need for collaborative efforts to safeguard national assets. We urge communities to report suspicious activities near power installations.”

Residents in affected areas have decried the impact of the outage, citing disruptions to daily activities and business operations. “We’ve been without power for hours, and it’s affecting productivity. It’s frustrating that such essential infrastructure isn’t adequately protected,” said a business owner in Abuja.

The TCN has appealed to the public for patience as it works to restore normalcy. The company also emphasized its commitment to collaborating with security agencies to prevent future occurrences. Measures such as deploying surveillance technology and increasing patrols around vulnerable sites are reportedly being considered.

As the city awaits the resolution of the power outage, the incident has reignited discussions on the importance of securing Nigeria’s critical infrastructure. With vandalism posing a growing threat to development, stakeholders are calling for heightened vigilance and investment in modern security solutions.