President Tinubu Orders Swift Action To Restore Power In Northern Nigeria Amid Widespread Blackout

President Bola Tinubu on Monday directed Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu and other relevant agencies to speed up the restoration of electricity to northern states that have been affected.

This order came after an emergency meeting with Adelabu and the National Security Adviser (NSA) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu regarding the ongoing blackout that has disrupted daily life and economic activities in the North.

According to the reports, 17 out of the 19 states in the north have been experiencing a blackout for two weeks due to the vandalism of the Shiroro-Kaduna power lines.

In a statement shared on X, the Special Adviser to the president on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga revealed Tinubu has expressed his concern over the blackout.

After meeting with Adelabu to discuss the status of repairs on the damaged transmission lines, the president stressed the importance of finding a sustainable, long-term solution. He urged engineers at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to work harder on fixing the damaged facilities and to support the affected communities.

Tinubu also instructed Ribadu to work with the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force to ensure the safety of TCN personnel and contractors repairing the lines, including providing aerial support to prevent further disruptions.

He called on traditional rulers, community leaders, and influential figures in the north to assist security agencies in protecting public assets and infrastructure from further damage.

The Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III and the Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa were among those who attended the meeting.

The NSGF Chairman and Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya urged other governors to take steps to ease the suffering of the people.

He said that while security was a top priority for the region, it was important to recognize the recent progress made against criminals, particularly the removal of bandits and terrorist leaders. However, he emphasized that there should be no complacency.

Maintaining these gains was crucial to achieving lasting peace and stability. Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu said that the federal government was working on short-term and long-term solutions to address the power supply issues in the North. He explained that they discussed the main cause of the problem, which was the vandalism of the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines, the primary source of electricity for the north.

In August, Nigeria's national electricity grid partially collapsed, causing blackouts in some areas of the country. This year, the grid first collapsed on Feb. 4. It had another collapse on March 28 and then again on April 15 and July 6, making it the third and fourth times, respectively.