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TCN loses N20B station to vandals in Okigwe
From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Enugu has arrested a male suspect and impounded an earthmoving machine (excavator) at the Centenary Estate area of Enugu State. This action was taken due to threats to the national grid caused by illegal sand excavation.
Meanwhile, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has lost a fully completed power station worth N20 billion in Okigwe, Imo State, to vandals. The station was awaiting energisation when it was stripped bare.
The NSCDC’s arrest followed the discovery of excavation activities near national grid towers. Sand miners had dug about 6 feet deep and 10 feet close to a tower’s base, risking its collapse within weeks. This was uncovered on Thursday during a site visit.
The suspect, believed to be the excavator’s driver, was caught at an uncompleted building in the estate. His alleged accomplices fled when they spotted a TCN convoy. Earlier, Dr. Thomas Inugonum, TCN General Manager (Transmission) for the Enugu Regional Office, had briefed journalists about the ongoing vandalism of TCN facilities. He led the press to Centenary Estate to show the damage.
During the visit, a new site with severe impact on the grid was found, with miners actively working. As they abandoned their machine and ran, Inugonum alerted the NSCDC state commander. Officers arrived, arrested the suspect, and immobilised the excavator.
Inugonum urged community leaders to help the NSCDC protect government assets. He lamented the Okigwe loss, saying, “At 9th Mile, we had to energise it by all means to avoid a repeat of what happened at Okigwe. In Okigwe, we had a fully completed power substation, awaiting energization. But it was ripped open by vandals. Everything was taken. As we speak now, you can’t get any useful thing from that substation. Everything has been stolen. And that’s a station that was almost 90 percent completed.”
“As at that time, the government spent over N2.8 billion to build it up to that level. Now, you can’t build that station with anything less than N20 billion. That’s to show you why I don’t want 9th Mile Enugu and Amasiri in Ebonyi substations to face similar problem if vandalisation,” he added.
“Vandalisation has been a recurring decimal in Nigeria. Even as we’re sitting down here, there are people inside the bush, going from one tower to the other, loosening our towers. In fact, this is a dangerous economic sabotage.”
“I thought that the problem of vandalisation was as a result of people being hungry and greedy. But if you on daily basis, keep on going inside the bush to destroy what is giving us light, it is sabotage resulting from greed. These people keep on vandalising, destroying federal government infrastructure. It’s not acceptable,” he concluded.