Metro

TCN Gives Update On Collapsed National Grid

Published

1 year ago

July 7, 2024

The Transmission Company of Nigeria on Sunday said the national power grid has been restored following Saturday’s collapse.

The TCN Public Affairs General Manager, Ndidi Mbah described the collapse as partial, saying that “there was a partial disturbance of the grid at about 15.09Hrs yesterday, 6th July 2024.”

According to her, the incident “brings to three, the partial grid disturbances, with one total disturbance this year.”

The TCN spokesperson said the grid collapse is suspected to have been triggered by the unexpected tripping of three units of a power-generating station which she said suddenly removed 313MW from the grid, causing system instability that led to the loss of bulk supply to a section of the national grid.

“Meanwhile, the system operator reacted to the sudden drop in generation which led to a dip in frequency by islanding a section of the grid which includes the Ibom Power Station through which the company continued to feed Uyo, Aba, Itu, Eket, Calabar, etc. even when the other section of the grid had no supply.

“Also, the operators commenced grid restoration efforts immediately after the incident. At about 21.57 hrs yesterday, the entire part of the grid that was affected by today’s incident was successfully restored,” Mbah said.

Meanwhile, electricity consumers have condemned the repeated collapse of the national power grid.

A checkconfirmed that power generation from all power plants dropped to a paltry 70MW at 3 pm after it peaked at 3916MW around 10 am on Saturday.

It was observed that the distribution companies got zero allocation as of Saturday evening.

This grid collapse came barely three days after the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission approved a tariff increase for Band A customers, from N206.80 per kilowatt-hour to N209.50/kWh.

While speaking with our correspondent, the Executive Director, Electricity Consumer Protection Advocacy Centre, Princewill Okorie, regretted that the grid keeps collapsing despite the hike in electricity tariff.

Okorie lamented that unmetered customers would still be made to pay for the period of the collapse, wondering what the government has been doing to stop the incidents.

“What are the causes of these grid collapses? Are the materials used in building the grip of good quality and standard? Who is managing the grid? The players in the sector are more interested in collecting money from the consumers rather than making the system stable.

“What you hear more about the power sector is payment. The money that the international communities are bringing to the industry and the money that is unlawfully collected from the consumers, where are they being utilised? The operational expenditures of the DisCos, and how do they spend them?

“In the past few months, they keep increasing tariffs yet there is inefficiency in the power sector. They are interested in collecting money, but whether the money is judiciously utilised or not, nobody cares.

“They keep overbilling customers. The desperation to collect revenue from customers for services not delivered is a challenge.

“Now that the grid collapsed, the unmetered customers will still be made to pay for darkness. That is injustice. The government should address this issue of grid collapse once and for all,” Okorie warned.

Also, the Convener and Executive Director of PowerUp Nigeria, an electricity consumer right and power sector policy advocacy organisation, Adetayo Adegbemle, said everyone involved in the electricity value chain should be embarrassed by their inability to stop grid collapses.

Adegbemle held that some people should be shown the way out to fix the situation.

“I think everyone involved in the value chain should be embarrassed by the regular occurrence and inability to put measures in place to avoid this constant grid collapse. It is unfortunate because everyone throws the blame on others

“And I believe if heads had been rolling for people not taking responsibility for it, someone would have stood up to fix this problem,” he stated.

Suggesting the way out, Adegbemle said, “There’s a need to align the value chain, this was something the Siemens deal boasted to achieve. I expect that if the head of TCN, for instance, is to lose his job tonight, the next MD would be more willing to work with other subsectors to ensure this does not happen again.

“From whatever we need to forestall this grid collapses, it is definitely in the hands of the leadership of the TCN, especially.”

Commenting on the grid disturbance on Saturday, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company said its TCN stations are out of supply, saying it is unable to provide services to customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States.

“The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company wishes to inform its esteemed customers of a general system collapse which occurred at 15:09 hours today, 6th July 2024. This has resulted in the loss of supply currently being experienced across the network.

“Due to this development, all our interface TCN stations are out of supply, and we are unable to provide services to our customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States.

“We are on standby awaiting detailed information of the collapse and restoration of supply from the National Control Centre, Osogbo,” a statement by the EEDC Head of Corporate Communications, Emeka Ezeh, read.

Also, the Kano DisCo said, “We regret to inform you that the power outage being experienced in our franchise states is due to system collapse of the national grid. The collapse occurred at about 3:10 pm, hence the loss of supply on all our outgoing feeders.

“Power supply shall be restored as soon as the National Grid is powered back. Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience.”

Related Topics:#TCN Electricity National Grid

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Metro

Police Launch Manhunt As Assailants Kill 4 In Soludo’s Aide’s Community

Published

9 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

Four persons – all male – were gunned down by unknown assailants in the Nawfia community in Njikoka Local Government Council Area of Anambra State.

Nawfia is the hometown of Chief Nwoye, popularly called Glamour, who is the Deputy Chief of Staff/Chief Protocol to Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo.

The community has become notorious in the news for the wrong reason, either bordering on fishy killings, shady land deals, or torn apart by chieftaincy and town union leadership tussles over the years.

Exactly a year after a similar shooting spree and killing engulfed the community, in which four men were feared shot dead.

A source told newsmen that unknown gunmen who operated in a black Lexus Jeep with a yet-to-ascertained registration number stormed Afor Nawfia Market and opened fire, presumably gunning down the four persons in the early hours of the evening of Sunday.

The shooting created pandemonium as bystanders and those who were within gunshot-hearing distance fled for their dear lives just as the gunmen sped off untraced.

A viral video, which our Correspondent monitored, shows the post-killing scene where lifeless bodies of four men lay in the pool of their blood after the shooting.

It was gory sights to behold as men and women as well as youths in the area lamented the killings which they described as one killing, too many.

Voices from the trending video identified some of the victims as “Ajigwo” and “Kalisia.”

The President-General of Nawfia Progressive Union, Chief Daniel Okoye, was swift in his reaction, expressing deep shock over the tragic news of the attack at the Afor Market Junction in Nawfia Community.

In a statement he issued on the incident and made available to newsmen shortly after the killings, he stated: “The incident resulted in multiple casualties, caused by unknown assailants who carried out this senseless act of violence.

“I strongly condemn this heartbreaking incident and the attempt to disrupt the peace of our beloved community. I have already contacted the relevant security agencies, and investigations are underway to uncover those responsible.”

Okoye appealed to the indigenes of the community “to remain calm, stay vigilant, and continue to cooperate with security operatives as they work tirelessly to restore normalcy and ensure our safety.”

The PG consoled the families affected by the dastardly act, assuring that “we are fully committed to supporting efforts aimed at protecting lives and maintaining peace in Nawfia.”

Also reacting to the dastardly act, the State Police Command linked the killings to cult-related activities, avoiding confirming any death incident resulting from the attack.

In a press statement issued by the State Police Command and made available to newsmen yesterday, the police update traced the killing to “cult-related attack that occurred on the evening of 7th December 2025 at Afor Nawfia Market, along the Onitsha–Awka Old Road.

“It will be recalled that operatives of the Command attached to the Special Anti-Cult Squad, Enugwu-Ukwu, had, four days earlier, acting on credible intelligence about a planned rival cult confrontation, arrested two dangerous suspects and recovered a firearm from them. The arrested suspects have been assisting the Police with valuable information aimed at preventing further cult-related violence within Awka and its environs.

“Despite these proactive efforts by the Command operatives, some members of the same gang, on the evening of 7th December 2025, operating in a black Lexus Jeep with registration number yet unknown, stormed Afor Nawfia Market and opened fire indiscriminately. The violent attack resulted in the fatal injury of four persons, after which the assailants fled the scene.

“Although the hoodlums escaped before police arrival, preliminary information obtained at the scene has provided useful leads, and the Command is already acting on them to ensure the perpetrators are tracked down and arrested.

“The Anambra State Police Command remains resolute in its determination to rid the State of cultism, violent crime and all forms of criminality. Further developments will be communicated as investigations progress,” the statement added.

Metro

Gunmen Invade Church, Kill Priest’s Wife In Anambra

Published

9 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

An attempt by Anglicans in Lulu community, Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra State, to worship on Sunday turned tragic as gunmen invaded the service, killing the wife of the presiding priest and injuring others.

The development was said to have unsettled the state, as a day earlier, some gunmen had allegedly attacked the Afor Market junction in Nawfia in Njikoka Local Government, killing some people.

Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Command on Monday morning confirmed the attack on the church and the killing of the priest’s wife.

Spokesperson for Anambra State Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the attack, said that many worshippers were injured.

He said that the Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, has condemned the attack.

He described those who carried out the attack as armed criminals, saying it resulted in one death and serious injuries inflicted on a few others.

Ikenga said: “The church building was partially burnt, and other properties were destroyed at a church premises in Lilu, Ihiala Local Government Area.

“The CP States that this heinous and abominable act, committed against innocent worshippers, is not only an assault on the community but a grave affront to our shared values of peace, sanctity of life, and freedom of worship.

“The command extends its deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and to the entire Lilu community and assures the public that the police shall relentlessly hunt down the perpetrators of this crime.

“The CP notes that no community should be subjected to such brutality as the command will not allow criminals to instil fear or destabilise the peace we are working tirelessly to maintain.”

Ikenga added that the command has intensified intelligence-driven operations, deployed the Joint Security Team, and strengthened surveillance across the area.

“The operatives are following every lead as no resource will be spared in ensuring that those responsible are apprehended and made to face the full weight of the law.

“The command urges residents to remain calm and cooperate with the Joint Security team by providing useful information that can assist ongoing investigations for justice to be served.

“The command remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting lives and property across Ihiala and the entire state”, he said.

In other news, the Delta State Command have arrested a principal suspect and his sidekick in the murder of retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu in Anambra State.

The detectives also recovered her personal handset, vowing to arrest the named fleeing member of the killer squad.

She was murdered on November 23, 2025.

The Delta State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police (SP) Bright Edafe, said the arrest followed days of intelligence gathering.

Metro

Army Foils Robbery, Rescues Kidnap Victims, Recovers Weapons

Published

9 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 6 Brigade/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke have foiled a robbery attack, rescued abducted travellers, and recovered weapons in a series of coordinated operations across Taraba State.

The operations were disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the Brigade’s Acting Spokesperson, Lt. Umar Muhammad.

According to the statement, the first incident occurred on 6 December 2025 in Manya, Takum Local Government Area, where soldiers responded to a distress call after armed robbers barricaded the Manya–Takum Road and began dispossessing travellers.

“The troops launched a rapid clearance operation, forcing the criminals to flee and abandon their weapons. An AK-47 rifle, an AK-47 magazine, and three rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition were recovered. Their intervention restored safety and movement along the busy route,” the statement read.

In a separate mission in Kufai Amadu, also in Takum LGA, troops rescued two abducted travellers following reports that four men from Bauchi State were kidnapped in Amadu Town while seeking directions on their way to Baissa in Kurmi LGA.

“Preliminary findings revealed that two of the victims, identified as Mr. Musa Danji and Mr. Yusuf, were taken away by their abductors towards New City. Coordinated search operations led to the rescue of two others, Mr. Yusuf Musa and Mr. Muhammed Umar, who escaped from captivity. Search efforts for the remaining victims are ongoing,” the Army stated, adding that efforts to apprehend the perpetrators have been intensified.

In another operation on 6 December, troops deployed in Iware, Ardo-Kola LGA, recovered arms and arrested two suspects during an intelligence-driven raid in Garin Sambo, Tau Village. Items seized include two pump-action guns, 13 cartridges, two motorcycles, and four mobile phones. Two suspects, identified as Baba Wura Sambo and Mallam Adamu Darda, were arrested over alleged illegal possession of arms.

The Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, commended the troops for their professionalism and swift response. He reiterated the Brigade’s commitment to sustained, aggressive operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks across the state.

Uwa also assured residents of heightened security throughout the Yuletide season and urged the public to remain vigilant while providing credible information to support ongoing efforts to maintain peace and security in Taraba.