Mr. Sule Abdulaziz, Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), disclosed that the Federal Government has spent approximately N8.8 billion to repair vandalised transmission towers nationwide.
This was revealed in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja by Mr. Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser on Strategic Communication and Media Relations to the Minister of Power. Tunji noted that Abdulaziz made the remark on Tuesday during the Quarterly Power Sector Working Group meeting held in Abuja.
Represented by Mr. Olugbenga Ajiboye, Executive Director of the Transmission Service Provider (TSO), Abdulaziz stated that from January 13 to date, 128 transmission towers have been destroyed by vandals or bandits across the country.
He added that apprehended vandals, after being handed over to the police for prosecution, were often granted bail and subsequently returned to engage in further vandalism.
“As I talk to you today, 128 of our towers have been destroyed by either vandals or bandits. Till date, we have spent about N8.8 billion, by our estimation, to put them back to full and functional use.
”It is so sad that each time the vandals were caught and taken to police for prosecution, police would charge them for theft, instead of vandalism and they will be bailed.
”If they are charged for vandalism, they cannot be bailed, but this is where we are. So, many of them have been arrested, but each time they will be bailed because police often charge their cases as that of theft, ”he said.
Abdulaziz revealed that when the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna towers were destroyed, TCN had to deploy full military escorts to ensure contractors could restore the transmission lines and towers. He added that in some instances, the contractors were permitted to work for only two hours on certain days.
“In some instances, they would even tell us that it was not safe to move there. How do we get out of this? How can we deliver electricity to Nigerians under these terrible circumstances?
”These are part of the challenges we are facing in the power sector,” he said.
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