Vandals Destroy Gombe-Borno Transmission Tower, Disrupt Power Supply, Says TCN

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported that vandals destroyed its transmission tower T372, located along the Gombe-Damaturu-Maiduguri 330kV transmission line, causing significant power outages across Yobe and Borno States.

According to a statement released by Ndidi Mbah, the General Manager of Public Affairs at TCN, the incident occurred around 1:44 am on Saturday, September 21, at Kasaisa village in Gujba Local Government Area.

The attack has left Damaturu, Yobe’s capital, and Maiduguri in Borno without power.

 The vandals cut off all four footings of the transmission tower, causing its collapse, which was discovered by TCN’s emergency patrol team.

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TCN is currently working to backfeed power to Damaturu through a 33 kV line from Potiskum, while Maiduguri will rely on the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP) for electricity.

TCN engineers will also begin dismantling the damaged tower for reconstruction as part of efforts to restore bulk power to the affected areas as quickly as possible.

 Furthermore, TCN urged Nigerians to report suspicious activities around transmission infrastructure to law enforcement agencies or nearby TCN offices to prevent further vandalism.

The company is working to expedite the reconstruction of the tower, noting that such incidents strain resources in an already challenging economic climate.

The need for public vigilance and cooperation is crucial in preventing future disruptions, according to TCN.