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Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, has condemned the vandalism of key electrical infrastructure that has left the state in darkness for over two weeks.
The recent destruction of four transmission towers along the Jos/Gombe 330KV line, as noticed by The Guardian, has disrupted electricity supply to millions of residents, impacting homes, businesses, hospitals and essential services, leading to a surge in insecurity.
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In a briefing by the Commissioner for Energy and Economic Development, Naomi Agbu, the governor expressed deep concern over the incident, and described it as “senseless”.
He stated: “The disruption caused by this act of vandalism has severe cascading effects on our economy and security. This senseless act has brought hardship to millions and is compounding existing challenges in the region.”
The governor noted that the state government was collaborating with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) to address the problem. However, he pointed out the lack of response from the Federal Government, which was prolonging the blackout.
A temporary solution involving backfeeding from an older 132KV line from Jos via Bauchi, Gombe, Savanah to Yola and Jalingo, he said, is in progress.
Kefas warned that the approach carries risks due to technical constraints and the age of the infrastructure, which might cause damage or accidents.
He urged the Federal Government to implement robust plans to strengthen the North East region’s electrical infrastructure, including the proposed North East ring circuit in TCN’s expansion plan.
To the residents, he said: “We are doing everything in our power to restore normalcy. We ask for your continued patience and cooperation as we work through this difficult period.”
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