The tranquility of the Gombe – Damaturu 330kV SC transmission line was shattered as vandals targeted Tower T372 near Katsaita Village in Yobe State, resulting in the collapse of the tower and pulling down Tower T373 along the same route. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) reported the incident, emphasizing the severe consequences on power supply to parts of the North East, particularly Yobe and Borno States.
The act of sabotage occurred at approximately 21:18 on December 21, 2023, and led to a significant disruption in power supply. TCN engineers, dispatched to investigate the cause of the power outage, discovered evidence of explosive materials used by the vandals in bringing down the towers. The villagers also confirmed hearing a loud explosion preceding the tower's collapse.
In response to the incident, Ndidi Mbah, General Manager of Public Affairs at TCN, issued a press release expressing condemnation for the act of vandalism. The release conveyed TCN's regret for the inconvenience caused to the government and people of Yobe and Borno States, assuring swift action to restore power supply by mobilizing contractors to reconstruct the damaged transmission towers.
"TCN strongly condemns the incident and regrets the inconvenience caused to the government and people of Yobe and Borno States and pledges to do all that is possible to quickly re-erect the towers to restore power supply to the affected areas," stated the release. The company urged host communities to collaborate in the fight against vandalism and the preservation of power infrastructure, emphasizing the collective ownership of these assets.