The Nigerian government has said that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) is now coordinating the joint efforts of the Nigerian Air Force, Kaduna, and the Nigerian Army in the surveillance of the 330kV Shiroro – Kaduna Lines 1 & 2 over the vandalised towers.
SaharaReporters reported on Friday that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had decried that security challenges were hindering repairs on critical transmission lines causing blackout affecting parts of Northern Nigeria.
Power outages are affecting some areas of Kano and Kaduna states following the vandalism of two towers along the 330kV Shiroro–Kaduna transmission lines 1 and 2.
TCN had announced that the damage, was reported by its Shiroro Regional Office on Friday.
However, Engineer Nafisatu Asabe Ali, Executive Director of the Independent System Operator at TCN, explained during a public hearing by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said the situation would not be fully resolved anytime soon, adding that the repair of the Ugwuaji-Apir line would only provide limited solution.
She explained that while the line could carry up to 750 megawatts (MW) of power, only 350 MW could be safely transmitted to Kano, Kaduna, and parts of Niger Republic due to voltage stability issues in Kano.
However, Sunday Dare, former Minister of Youths and Sports and current Special Adviser on Public Communications and Orientation to the President Bola Tinubu, said that the joint security efforts being coordinated from NSA office would cover TCN personnel working in the thick forest area of the Shiroro.
He said that since the TCN had located the faults, with the security cover, the team working on the line would close and restore line L2 and move to complete the other line as quickly as possible.
Dare who took to his X handle to disclose this wrote: “The office of the NSA is coordinating the joint efforts of NAF – Kaduna HQ, and the Army in the surveillance of the 330kV Shiroro – Kaduna Lines 1 & 2 regarding the vandalized Towers.
“This includes security cover for TCN personnel working in the thick forest area of the Shiroro.
“TCN team has located the faults and working on them. TCN will soon be able to close and restore line L2. And move to complete the other line as quickly as possible.”
