Power has returned to four states under the Jos Electricity Distribution company – Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, and Benue – after a 10-day blackout.
Electricity was restored at 7:20 p.m. Wednesday, leading to celebrations in affected areas. In Jos, Plateau State’s capital, residents celebrated in the streets after days without power.
The blackout began when the 330kV transmission line between Benue and Enugu states failed, leaving several northern states without power. This outage severely affected daily life and businesses in these areas.
Earlier this week, Presidential Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had taken quick action to solve the power crisis. The President called Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to speed up power restoration efforts.
“President Tinubu is saddened by the reports of vandalism and deliberate destruction of public assets, which caused this unfortunate blackout,” Onanuga said.
During his meeting with Minister Adelabu, President Tinubu reviewed the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN) ongoing repairs of the damaged Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines. He ordered the power ministry to create long-term plans to prevent future outages.
Tinubu also directed TCN engineers to continue restoration work quickly to reduce impact on citizens and businesses. “Immediate relief must be brought to the people who rely on electricity to sustain their livelihoods,” he stated.
The President instructed National Security Adviser Ribadu to work with the Army and Air Force to protect the damaged infrastructure using ground forces and aerial surveillance.
“Traditional rulers, community leaders, and other stakeholders are urged to work with security agencies to safeguard public utilities from further attacks,” the statement added.
President Tinubu emphasized that his government would not accept acts of sabotage, warning that those who attack public infrastructure would face serious consequences.