Total Blackout in Damaturu as vandals attack TCN tower

On Sunday, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) revealed that it had been targeted by alleged vandals on its transmission line that supplies electricity to Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State.

In a statement, Ndidi Mbah, General Manager of Public Affairs, stated that on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at around 1:44 am, vandals destroyed tower No. T372, which was located along the 330kV transmission line between Gombe, Damaturu, and Maiduguri.

According to TCN, the development has cut off power to Maiduguri in Borno State as well as the entire city of Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State.

“This time, the vandals cut off all four tower footings, resulting in the collapse of tower T372 along the Gombe-Damaturu-Maiduguri section, which was discovered by TCN’s linesmen deployed on emergency patrol.

“Following this destructive attack, effort is ongoing by TCN’s engineers in the interim, to back feed Damaturu through a 33kV transmission line from Potiskum, while Maiduguri town will be fed from the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP)”.

The company added that work will commence immediately to dismantle and evacuate the collapsed tower for reconstruction and restoration of the transmission line.

TCN frowned at the “incessant attack on our collective national assets and enjoin citizens to be vigilant in protecting these assets and also to report suspicious activities or persons around our transmission infrastructure to law enforcement agents or TCN offices in that vicinity .

“TCN is committed to a quick restoration of bulk power to the affected areas and will expedite reconstruction work on the tower to ensure that it is completed as soon as possible”, Mbah stated.