Northern Blackout: Tinubu deploys aerial support for engineers fixing Shiroro-Kaduna line

Northern Blackout: Tinubu deploys aerial support for engineers fixing Shiroro-Kaduna line

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed concern over the blackout in northern Nigeria, which has lasted for the past week.

In response, the federal government has assured that alternative power sources will be implemented to address the challenge. The region has been in darkness for days due to the vandalism of the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line.

In response to the blackout, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu summoned Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu and National Security Adviser Malam Nuhu Ribadu.

He specifically ordered the NSA to ensure surveillance for the engineers repairing the vandalized Shiroro-Kaduna power lines.

A statement released on Monday by the president’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, quoted Tinubu as expressing sadness over the vandalism and deliberate destruction of power infrastructure and other public assets that led to the unfortunate blackout.

READ ALSO: North faces 8th day without electricity as hardship deepens

During a meeting with the Minister of Power, who provided updates on the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN) efforts to repair the damaged Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu called for a long-term solution to the issue.

He instructed the Minister of Power and relevant agencies to accelerate efforts to restore electricity to all affected states in the North.

The president urged TCN engineers to remain diligent in providing immediate relief to communities that rely on electricity for their social and economic activities.

To ensure that restoration work proceeds without interruption, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to collaborate with the Army and Air Force in deploying adequate security personnel, including aerial support, to protect the engineers repairing the damaged transmission line.

He urged traditional rulers, community leaders, and other influential figures to work with security agencies to safeguard public assets and infrastructure, stating that the federal government would no longer tolerate deliberate sabotage and destruction of public utilities, as noted by spokesman Bayo Onanuga.

After the meeting, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu briefed journalists on the government’s efforts to establish alternative power sources for northern states to mitigate the ongoing blackout.

Adelabu stated, “We are exploring the option of providing electricity to the North through the Ikot Ekpene substation supplied by the Calabar plant. However, this line has also encountered issues, and we are working to fix that.”

He added that at the last Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, one of the approvals for the Ministry of Power was to upgrade the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line, which is the primary source of electricity for the northern region.

Adelabu explained that the power supply disruption affects approximately 17 states, attributing the issue primarily to the vandalism of the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines.

Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at NeptunePrime.

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