Alleged saboteurs have escalated their attacks on Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, following the destruction of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Tower 70, situated along the 330KV Gwagwalada-Katampe transmission line within the Federal Capital Territory.
This dreadful act has led to a decrease in the capacity and quantity of electricity delivered to Abuja by 250MW, as stated by TCN’s representative, Ndidi Mbah.
Ndidi mentioned that the sabotage took place around 11.32pm on February 26th, prompting the organization to send out a surveillance team after an unsuccessful effort to reset the power outage at the Gwagwalada Substation.
She noted that the tower is currently in a precarious condition, held up only by the electrical lines.
“The unfortunate event happened on February 26th, 2024, at roughly 11.32 pm. At this time, the Gwagwalada – Katampe Transmission line experienced a shutdown at Gwagwalada Transmission Substation and attempts to reset the line by TCN operators were unsuccessful, leading to a manual inspection of the line.
“The TCN maintenance and inspection team found that the base of Tower 70 had been damaged by explosives, wrecking the support structures and causing the tower to be supported only by the transmission lines.”
Mbah revealed that the organization has initiated urgent repairs on the damaged tower and its related components, while also urging the public to remain alert.
“TCN has now begun urgent restoration efforts at the site of the attack and is working on fixing the damaged tower and its equipment.
“We emphasize the importance of public alertness in preventing the destruction of electrical infrastructure. It is crucial for any unusual activities around electrical equipment to be reported to law enforcement or the nearest TCN office across the country.”