BREAKING: Abuja Faces Blackout As Vandals Hit Shiroro-Katampe Transmission Line

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced the vandalism of one of its critical infrastructures, the Shiroro-Katampe 330kV transmission line, marking the sixth such incident this year. The attack occurred late Wednesday night, December 18, 2024, causing a blackout in the affected areas.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that in a statement issued by TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, the company confirmed that vandals had stolen essential components of the conductor between towers T216 and T218 at around 11:43 pm. Efforts to restore power through trial reclosing failed as the line tripped immediately after the initial attempt.

“The Transmission Company of Nigeria regrets to announce that its 330kV Shiroro – Katampe transmission line was vandalized on Wednesday, 18th December 2024. At approximately 11:43 pm, the 330kV Shiroro Katampe circuit lost supply on the grid. A trial reclosure was attempted, but the line tripped again immediately,” the statement read.

Following the incident, a patrol team from the Abuja Regional Office was dispatched to investigate. Upon inspection, the team discovered the theft of parts of the conductor. Additional maintenance crews were subsequently mobilized to the site to replace the stolen components.

“The TCN lines maintenance crew has since mobilized to the site and is working assiduously to replace the vandalized 330kV power conductor. Restoration of bulk power supply through the affected line is expected soon,” Mbah said.

The company also appealed to Nigerians for assistance in safeguarding power infrastructure by reporting suspicious activities around transmission lines.

“We appeal to the general public to assist in identifying and reporting suspicious activities around power transmission infrastructure. Your vigilance and cooperation are crucial in helping us to prevent acts of vandalism or apprehend the culprits,” the statement concluded.

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