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

JUST IN: Military Jet Crashes In Niger Community

Published

4 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

A jet belonging to the Nigerian Air Force has reportedly crashed near Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

This was disclosed by a Niger State-based online digital television network, Lapai TV, in a post on its official Facebook page on Saturday evening.

“Two Nigerian Air Force Pilots Reportedly Survive Alpha Jet Crash Close to Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State,” the post stated

The incident was said to have occurred Saturday evening.

At the time of filing this report, the military has yet to make any official communication about the incident.

Details shortly…

Metro

Court Remands Four Foreigners Over Alleged Kidnapping, Hostage Taking In Ogun

Published

7 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

An Ogun State Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, has ordered the remand of four foreign nationals arrested for alleged kidnapping, hostage taking and unlawful detention of several foreign victims.

This is even as the Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a medical doctor for allegedly transporting medical supplies from Sokoto State to suspected kidnapping gangs in Kwara.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Kwara State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the suspect was intercepted at Jebba in Moro Local Council, following an intelligence tip-off which linked him to a drug-delivery network servicing the criminal groups.
The arrest is said to be part of ongoing efforts to disrupt the supply chains aiding armed gangs across the region.

According to the statement, the kidnappers have recently become more desperate in seeking medical attention, particularly for treating gunshot wounds sustained during gunfights with security operatives.

Chief Magistrate A. K. Araba ordered the remand of Augustine Nketia Boateng, 41; Johnson Apan Julus, 43; Dramane Lenganir, 26; and 37-year-old Simms Raphael, all citizens of Ghana, Benin and Burkina Faso.

The suspects were arrested at their operational base in Harmony Estate, Pakudi Obada Area, Ogun State, by officers of the International Police (Interpol), Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID) Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, led by Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni.

The court ordered their remand at the Oba Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) following a motion ex parte marked MA/83PJ/2025, filed and moved by Morufu Ajani Animashaun, a legal officer in the Force Legal/Prosecution Department.

Animashaun told the court that the application was brought pursuant to Section 367 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Laws of Ogun State, 2017, and the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

He prayed the court for an order remanding the defendants for alleged kidnapping, abduction, hostage taking and unlawful detention, pending the issuance of legal advice by the Ogun State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), for a period of 60 days in the first instance.

He also sought an order directing their remand at the Ibara Correctional Centre, Abeokuta.

The motion was supported by an 18-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Inspector Oyebisi Oni of the Interpol Section, alongside a written address and documentary exhibits.

In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Araba ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Oba Centre of the NCoS pending the DPP’s legal advice. The case was adjourned to February 27, 2026.

According to the affidavit, Interpol received a request on November 7, 2025, from the National Central Bureau (NCB), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, concerning a case of conspiracy, kidnapping, abduction, human trafficking and obtaining money by false pretence.

The complaint was lodged by one Mr. Lengane Toyazoula against the defendants and others at large.

The request sought Interpol’s assistance in rescuing a 23-year-old Burkinabe woman, Lengane Audrey, allegedly held captive by the suspects. Based on intelligence from the NCB, a team of detectives from Interpol FCID Annex, Ikoyi, was deployed to Abeokuta, where the suspects were traced to Harmony Estate. Sixteen victims comprising Burkinabe nationals, 12 Ghanaians, one Togolese and one Ivorian were rescued.

During interrogation, the defendants allegedly admitted collecting 1,869,000 CFA (equivalent to N4,790,036.77) as ransom. Further investigation reportedly revealed that they lured victims from other countries into Nigeria under the guise of securing Canadian visas, collected money from them and detained them against their will.

The affidavit stated that the suspects, operating from Harmony Estate, unlawfully imprisoned the victims and extorted money from their families. A proposed charge sheet was attached as an exhibit.

The police officer further noted that the duplicate case file had been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on December 2, 2025, and that a remand order was needed to detain the suspects for 60 days pending legal advice.

The affidavit also stated that 12 rescued victims had been handed over to the Consular General of the Ghana High Commission on December 3, 2025.It added that granting the remand application would serve the interest of justice.
(GUARDIAN)

Metro

Construction Worker arrested For Stabbing Supervisor Over N10,000

Published

7 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

A 35-year-old workman known as Joshua has been arrested and detained at the Boundary Police Division in Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, for allegedly stabbing his site supervisor, Sopiriala Sokari, into a coma over a N10,000 debt.

According to eyewitnesses and the victim, Joshua had been hired by Sokari to transfer blocks to a construction site for N20,000.

However, when Sokari offered to pay him N10,000 upfront, Joshua refused and demanded full payment.

The incident occurred along Obiri Ikwerre Road, where Joshua allegedly broke a bottle and stabbed Sokari after a heated argument.

In a telephone conversation with journalists shortly after regaining consciousness at th:e hospital, Sokari narrated: “There is a boy called Joshua. He did a job for me, to transfer blocks to where they are working.

“The total job he did was 20,000 naira. So when he did the job, as I saw him, I asked him to take N10,000 first, let me confirm the job, then I will give him the balance.

“He refused, insisting that I must give him the whole money. He later met me where I was eating along Obiri Ikwerre Road, saying that I should give him the money now. I still insisted that I would give him only N10,000 till I confirmed the work.

“The next thing, he went and broke a bottle. The woman who was selling even had to bring out 20,000 naira after seeing his mood and gave it to him. After taking the money from the woman, he still used the bottle and stabbed me.

“Now I am lying down at Cottage Solution Hospital, Mbodo Aluu, where I was admitted. I am calling on Nigerians to help me. I have spent a lot of money. I need justice.”

The victim is currently receiving treatment at Cottage Solution Hospital, Mbodo Aluu, and has sustained severe injuries.

The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of Joshua and is conducting an in-depth investigation into the matter.