President Bola Tinubu has voiced concern over the extended power outage in northern Nigeria. According to a statement from Bayo Onanuga, his special adviser on information and strategy, Tinubu met with Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to address the blackout.
The outage began on October 22, when the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) reported that the 330-kilovolt Ugwaji–Apir transmission lines tripped, affecting the north-east, north-west, and parts of the north-central regions. TCN also cited vandalism of the Shiroro-Kaduna line, which reduced power supply to major cities like Kaduna and Kano. On October 24, TCN identified the cause as a snapped transmission line in Benue state’s Igumale forest, but repair efforts were delayed due to security concerns.
In response, Tinubu expressed dismay over the vandalism and ordered Adelabu and TCN to expedite repairs. He also directed Ribadu to coordinate with the Nigerian Army and Air Force to deploy security personnel, including aerial support, to protect engineers working on the repairs. Additionally, Tinubu urged traditional and community leaders to collaborate with security agencies to safeguard public infrastructure, warning that the government will no longer tolerate the sabotage of public utilities.
Former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso also highlighted the impact of the outages and rising fuel costs on households and businesses in the region.
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