The Federal Government confirmed that it spent N8.8 billion in 2024 to repair and restore gearbox towers vandalized across various parts of the nation.
Ahmed Abdulaziz, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Transition Company of Nigeria, disclosed this at the Quarterly Power Sector Working Group meeting in Abuja.
In a statement signed on Wednesday, Bolaji Tunji, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Power on Strategic Communication and Media Relations, stated that the government has not yet succeeded in prosecuting detained vandals since the Nigerian Police typically release them on bond.
According to Abdulaziz, who was accompanied by Engr.Olugbenga Ajiboye, Executive Director of TCN Transmission Service Provider, reported that robbers or vandals demolished 128 transmission towers nationwide between January and November 2024.
He also expressed concern that authorities release those caught on bail, allowing them to resume their illicit activities and severely damage the nation’s essential transmission infrastructure.
As I speak to you now, bandits and vandals have demolished 128 of our towers.
He clarified that the police released the perpetrators on bail for theft, not for the damage, after catching and handing them over for prosecution.
It is heartbreaking that police arrest vandals for theft instead of vandalism and release them on bond every time. If charged with vandalism, they cannot receive bail, but this remains the situation. Authorities have arrested many vandals, but police frequently misreport their cases as theft, allowing the vandals to receive bail consistently.
We provided contractors with full military escorts to replace the transmission cables and towers after vandals damaged the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna towers. However, some days they could only work for two hours.
They would even inform us that it was unsafe to relocate there in certain cases. How can we escape this situation? In these dire conditions, how can we provide electricity to Nigerians? According to Abdulaziz, these are a some of the difficulties the electricity industry is now confronting.
CREDIT:Allneeds,THE PUNCH
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