Power supply to major parts of Abuja, including the Presidential Villa, Maitama, Wuse, Jabi, Life Camp, Asokoro, Utako, and Mabushi, has been severely disrupted. This blackout follows the vandalism of the 132kV transmission line and the theft of an underground cable that supplies electricity to the Central Area Transmission Substation in Katampe. According to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the vandals also stole a 40-metre 1x500mm XLPE conductor, crippling power distribution to several parts of the city.
Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, confirmed the development in a statement on Friday. She stated, “Consequently, areas experiencing power outage include Maitama, Wuse, Jabi, Life Camp, Asokoro, Utako, Mabushi, and parts of the Presidential Villa.” This act of sabotage has affected eight distribution feeders, cutting off over 60% of Abuja’s power supply.
TCN Races to Restore Power
The vandalised underground cable was critical in transmitting bulk electricity to TCN’s Central Area Transmission Substation, which distributes power through eight feeders to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC). This disruption has left thousands of residents and businesses in the dark.
Mbah revealed that the vandalism likely occurred near the Menillum Park axis of Abuja. “The perpetrators stole 40 meters of 1x500mm XLPE conductor from the two 132kV transmission lines,” she explained. In response, TCN has dispatched engineers to the affected sites to restore electricity as soon as possible.
Appealing for patience, Mbah urged residents to remain calm while repairs are underway. She also expressed deep concern over the increasing cases of cable vandalism, calling on Nigerians to remain vigilant and protect public infrastructure from further attacks.
AEDC Confirms Ongoing Power Restoration Efforts
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) also confirmed the blackout in a notice to its customers. The company attributed the outage to faults on the 132kV lines 1 and 2 from Katampe to the AT5 Central Area Transmission Station.
“Dear Valued Customers,” AEDC stated, “This is to inform residents around Federal Secretariat, Wuse Zone 1-7, Central Mosque, Energy Commission, Transcorp Hotel, Eagle Square, Yar’adua Centre, the entire Central Area, TCN HQ, CAC HQ, NYSC HQ, INEC, the entire Maitama, Kado Estate, parts of Jabi District, Area 7, 8 & 10 Garki and its environs that the power outage being experienced is due to a fault on the 132kV lines 1&2 from Katampe to AT5 Central Area Transmission Station.”
Bottom Line
This persistent sabotage highlights the vulnerability of Nigeria’s already fragile power grid. The government and security agencies must intensify efforts to safeguard critical infrastructure, as repeated incidents like this continue to hinder progress in stabilizing electricity supply nationwide.
