… KEDCO losses billion of naira revenue, as the time of filling this report by the northern star online
Communities in Munjibir, Makoda, and Dambatta Local Government Areas of Kano have been plunged into darkness for over 10 years due to persistent theft of electricity cables and vandalism of power infrastructure.
The Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) reports that over 6,000 transformers were vandalized across its franchise areas of Jigawa, Kano, and Katsina states, resulting in billions of naira in losses.
The vandalism has severely impacted daily life, with businesses, hospitals, and households suffering.
Meanwhile, the Small and medium-sized enterprises are particularly hard hit, with some forced to close or reduce operations.
A frozen food dealer along Zaria road, Manu Garba, lamented that the persistent power outage had left many business owners in huge debt, as they struggled to keep their goods from perishing.
Residents are frustrated with the lack of electricity, and many are forced to rely on expensive generators, exacerbating the economic hardship.
Also, A welder in Tarauni LG, Aminu Sani, said he had to suspend operations due to the high cost of fuel required to run his generator. The power outage has also affected water supply, with the price of a 25-litre jerrycan rising from N100 to N200 in some areas.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) confirms that vandalism is a major cause of recurrent blackouts across the country, with recent attacks on transmission towers along the Kaduna-Kano line leaving thousands without power.
Federal Government has vowed to step up security around critical infrastructure, including electricity transmission towers and pipelines.
In response to the crisis, KEDCO has urged residents to form committees to monitor suspicious activity around transformers and report any issues to the nearest KEDCO office.
Similarly, the MD, CEO Dr Jemata has also mandate the community engagement units to embarked on sensitization across the three states to fish out bad eggs. “The company has also announced significant results in apprehending and prosecuting vandals”, promising to continue cooperating with security operatives to clamp down on vandals.
The power outage has had a devastating impact on healthcare facilities, with hospitals struggling to treat patients without reliable power. At Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, doctors are forced to rely on generators, which is unsustainable due to the high cost of fuel.
The economic toll is evident, with industries reporting losses running into millions of naira. The situation is severe in places like Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, and Plateau. The government is urged to expedite repairs and bolster infrastructure security to restore reliable power supply.
About The Author
