The Bayelsa State Government has condemned the recent vandalism of electricity towers in the region, characterizing the act as a severe assault on the community’s socio-economic welfare and a deliberate sabotage of government investment initiatives.
On Sunday, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation, and Strategy, addressed the media in Yenagoa following an inspection of the restoration work on two of the three damaged power towers in the Igbogene area of Yenagoa. The incident has plunged Bayelsa into darkness, disrupting the power supply due to the collapse of the transmission towers.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) revealed that the towers, identified as T98 and T99 along the Ahoada/Yenagoa 132kV line, were vandalized on July 29 in the Igbooghene community. This vandalism led to the collapse of the towers, severing power to the state, including TCN’s Yenagoa Sub-station and the Gbarain Power Station.
Koku-Obiyai urged residents to remain vigilant and collaborate in safeguarding power infrastructure. She highlighted that the recent surge in attacks on power lines indicates a calculated effort to disrupt the lives of Bayelsa’s residents.
The Commissioner called for a united front against these criminal acts, emphasizing the importance of community involvement in condemning the attacks. She acknowledged the TCN’s swift response to the incident and expressed confidence in the restoration of power, noting that repair efforts have begun in Bayelsa and will extend to 13 additional towers between Okugbe and Mbiama in Rivers.
Furthermore, Koku-Obiyai cautioned against political figures turning the crisis into a blame game, stressing that such actions could inadvertently support the vandals’ objectives. She called for patience from the public, reassuring them that every effort is being made by the TCN to rehabilitate the damaged infrastructure.
Mr. Olice Kemenanabo, Managing Director of the Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited (BECL), echoed the government’s commitment to working with stakeholders to restore power promptly. He expressed dismay at the community’s attitude towards government assets and stressed that public ownership and protection of such infrastructure are crucial for sustained benefits.
Kemenanabo lamented that the vandalism of 13 additional towers between Okogbe and Mbiama had delayed power restoration, which otherwise would have been completed within four weeks. He called on state security forces to intensify efforts in identifying and apprehending those responsible for the disruptions. He assured that with the TCN’s emergency restoration measures in place, power should be fully restored within five weeks.
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