North jubilates as Jos DisCo restores power to four states

Electricity has been restored to Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, and Benue states, all under the Jos Electricity Distribution franchise, following a prolonged blackout that lasted 10 days.

Power returned around 7:20 p.m. on Wednesday, sparking jubilation across the affected areas. In Jos, the capital of Plateau State, residents took to the streets, celebrating the return of electricity after days of disruption.

The recent outage began with the tripping of the 330kV transmission line between Benue and Enugu states, plunging several northern states into darkness. The blackout severely disrupted daily life and business activities, with residents expressing frustration over the economic toll it caused.

Earlier this week, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had taken swift measures to address the power outage. Tinubu summoned the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to expedite efforts to restore electricity.

Onanuga conveyed the President’s concern over the damage to the power infrastructure. “President Tinubu is saddened by the reports of vandalism and deliberate destruction of public assets, which caused this unfortunate blackout,” the presidential aide noted.

In a meeting with Minister Adelabu, the President reviewed the ongoing repairs by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to fix the damaged Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines. Tinubu directed the power ministry to develop long-term solutions to prevent future disruptions.

The President also urged TCN engineers to continue restoration work with urgency, ensuring minimal impact on citizens and businesses. “Immediate relief must be brought to the people who rely on electricity to sustain their livelihoods,” Tinubu said.

To protect public assets and ensure uninterrupted repairs, the President instructed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to collaborate with the Army and Air Force to deploy personnel and aerial surveillance around the damaged infrastructure.

“Traditional rulers, community leaders, and other stakeholders are urged to work with security agencies to safeguard public utilities from further attacks,” the statement added.

The President reiterated that the government would no longer tolerate acts of sabotage, warning that deliberate attacks on public infrastructure would be met with strict consequences.