By our Reporter
The Presidential Villa in Abuja has been left in darkness following the theft of electricity cables that disrupted power supply to the area, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) confirmed on Friday.
In a joint statement with the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, TCN revealed that a 132kV transmission line and underground cables supplying electricity to parts of the Federal Capital Territory, including the Presidential Villa, were vandalized.
The General Manager of TCN, Ndidi Mba, disclosed that vandals stole 40 meters of 1x500mm² XLPE conductors from two 132kV transmission lines near Millennium Park, a few kilometers from the Villa. These cables are critical for transmitting bulk electricity to TCN’s 132kV Central Area substation, which powers eight distribution feeders serving the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company.
As a result, key areas affected by power outages include Maitama, Wuse, Jabi, Lifecamp, Asokoro, Utako, Mabushi, and parts of the Presidential Villa.
Mba reassured the public that TCN engineers have been mobilized to the site and are working to repair the damaged cables. The incident highlights the growing problem of infrastructure vandalism, which poses challenges to consistent power supply in the nation’s capital.
