By Gloria Ikibah
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has engaged support from the Nigerian Army to secure the 330KV Shiroro-Kaduna Lines 1 & 2 after recent vandalism of power towers.
The Nigerian Air Force is also involved in helping to locate the exact damaged point, so that TCN engineers can commence repairs and restore electricity in the North West. This additional help is essential due to the difficult terrain, which has delayed TCN’s ability to access the affected area.
Naijablitznews.com reports that efforts are ongoing and in progress, this is as the Managing Director TCN, Abdul-Aziz Sule, is directing operations with urgency. TCN officials are actively working to repair the damaged transmission lines and bring relief to the North West region, where residents have faced significant uneasy due to the blackout caused by vandals.
In a phone conversation, Managing Director Abdul-Aziz Sule assured residents that the TCN is fully committed to restoring power.
Speaking through the Manager Public Affairs, Ndidi Mba, he emphasized that security agencies are closely supporting TCN’s work to locate and secure the fault lines.
“I can assure you that we are working in close collaboration with the security agencies to repair the damage and restore power supply,” said Mrs. Mba.
She explained that the dangerous nature of the terrain has made it challenging for engineers to access the site quickly.
“We have to be cautious as we rush to fix the lines because we’re dealing with real safety threats,” she added.
In a related development, a power sector expert highlighted the financial burden these sudden repairs place on TCN.
“These structures are expensive and hard to replace,” he noted, explaining that the effort to procure spare parts and transport them to the site is a significant challenge for the federal government. Speaking anonymously, the expert urged Nigerians to stay vigilant and help safeguard government installations, particularly transmission lines.
“This is beyond TCN’s responsibility alone. We all need to help protect these assets,” he said.
The expert also defended the management of TCN, and stressed that grid collapses are not the fault of management.
“How can you say grid collapse is a reason to sack the management?” he asked, pointing out that some critics, including certain civil society groups, have called for the removal of TCN leadership.
“These calls are baseless,” he added, even as he urged politicians to avoid trivializing serious issues.
“No one at TCN would wish for a grid collapse to occur,” he concluded.
