North’s Power Blackout : Shiroro Power Station Taken Over By Well Armed Terrorists

As efforts are ongoing to restore electricity to the northern parts of the country, Nigeria’s Senate President Barau Jibrin has disclosed that terrorists are responsible for the problem.

The magazine reports that the  Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, announced last week that the  Shiroro-Mando transmission line had been vandalised, leaving 17 of the 19 states in northern part of the country without power for days.

The damage has paralysed  economic paralyses in affected states, those familiar with the matter said.

The deputy senate president said on Tuesday during plenary that terrorists had not only destroyed transmission cables and other electricity infrastructure, they have also taken over the areas where these damage have  been done to ensure that repairs are made impossible.

Jibrin spoke after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu to ensure that power is restored as fast as possible.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa had also met with the 19 northern governors as part of the ongoing efforts to restore electricity, and protection of electricity infrastructure going forward.

Briefing the Senate  yesterday, on what is being done to fix the problem, Jibin said the military must first clear the affected areas of terrorists before the repairs can be done.

He said he has met with the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu on how this would be achieved, stressing that security forces are prepared to move in any moment from now to displace the criminals.

According to him, the NSA is coordinating with the TCN and Ministry of Power on how to displace the terrorists who he said “are well-armed, well-armed to the teeth” from their hideouts.

“The National Security Adviser is on top of the issue. We have been discussing it with him personally. I have been talking with the National Security Adviser. I have been talking with the TCN Managing Director,” Jibrin said.

He stated further, “They are very ready to go there, but the fact is that the place has been occupied by terrorists that are well-armed, well-armed to the teeth. And so the security agencies are preparing to strike the area and get that threat off that place.

“But it’s not something we need to say because that would compromise their preparation to deal with the threat. So as we speak, all hands are on deck to deal with the situation. I just feel it’s proper I inform this whole sitting of what is happening.

“We’re in contact with them. We’re in touch with them, and we’re discussing with both the TCN and the NSA office.

“Now what has been done now is that the security agencies are putting their hands together to get to that spot and try to eradicate or take away the threat that has been there for quite a while.

“And it’s an arrangement that is not something that will be said to the public because that would compromise the arrangement or the preparation the security agencies are going to deal with the matter. So as we speak, the president has ordered and directed that the security agencies should do all within their powers to make sure that they deal with that threat,” Jibrin said.