Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have blown up two key electricity transmission towers in Yobe state belonging to the national grid, according to local police. The destruction has cut off power supply from the Gombe generating station to neighboring Borno state as well, leaving residents of both states without electricity.
The 330 kilovolt towers attacked are located in the Kasaisa area within Damaturu Local Government of Yobe. Police spokesperson Dungus Abdulkarim confirmed that improvised explosives are believed to have been utilized in the early morning sabotage operation on Saturday.
With the vital connecting towers demolished, blackouts immediately enveloped Yobe and Borno which rely on the damaged infrastructure to transmit imported power for civilian and commercial usage.
Abdulkarim lamented this was already the second instance in 2023 of the strategic towers being targeted, putting nearly a million people in darkness. Boko Haram insurgents fighting for an Islamist state were culprits behind a similar December attack that had just been remedied last month after repairs reconnected the sabotaged interstate grid.
Now extensive work will be again required to restore electricity to major urban centers like Damaturu, Maiduguri and smaller suffering communities as the jihadists continue creating havoc across the Northeast.
The latest act of economic sabotage aiming to further immiserate local populations marks an unfortunate reversal coming soon after Yobe residents voiced cautious optimism upon the restoration of power flows in January. Instead they now brace for more sweaty nights devoid of fan relief as temperatures climb headed toward the hot season.
Whether the repeated choice of high-impact power transmission bombings reflects Boko Haram technicians identifying critical infrastructure vulnerabilities or coincidental selection based on convenience and symbolism, the end result is familiar – more Northeast Nigerian misery.
Officials have not indicated how soon the mangled towers leaving Yobe and Borno powerless yet again can be salvaged. But the distressed states have little recourse except appealing to overtaxed federal emergency managers and electricians to expedite repair works. With Boko Haram thriving in the somber shadows, the race back to light takes on amplified urgency.
Source Boko Haram destroys 330KVA power towers in Yobe. Published in Vanguard.