Efforts to restore electricity in Bayelsa State have suffered another setback after suspected vandals damaged the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV transmission line, which was already under repair following earlier vandalism.
The state has endured a power outage since July when 19 electricity towers supplying power from the national grid were vandalized, plunging businesses and residents into darkness.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) confirmed the latest act of sabotage in a statement released on Friday by its spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah. According to the statement, the incident occurred on Tuesday night and affected towers 29 to 31, with the vandals carting away approximately one-third of the conductor.
Mbah disclosed that a team of engineers, led by TCN’s General Manager for the Port Harcourt Region, Mr. Emmanuel Akpa, inspected the damage. “To prevent further theft during repairs, local security has been engaged at Ula Ikata in Ahoada East Local Government Area to secure the site until repairs are completed,” she said.
She added that, as a precautionary measure, the transmission line would be energized from the Ahoada end, while efforts to replace the stolen 250mm conductor are underway despite challenges posed by flooding and difficult terrain. “The restringing of the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV line is approximately 85 percent completed,” Mbah noted.
The incident comes on the heels of earlier attacks in November, when vandals targeted transmission towers in Okada and Ofosu communities along the 330kV Benin-Egbin and Benin-Omotosho lines.
Meanwhile, the General Manager of the Bayelsa State Electricity Company (BEC), Engr. Olice Kemenanabo, and the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Print Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli, lamented the Federal Government’s perceived neglect in aiding the ongoing reconnection efforts. During a visit to the damaged sites, they reassured residents that power would be restored soon.
Bayelsa residents, however, continue to endure the adverse effects of the prolonged blackout, which has disrupted livelihoods and business activities across the state.
