Northern Blackout: Tinubu expresses concern, mobilizes immediate response

President Bola Tinubu has voiced serious concern over the week-long blackout affecting northern Nigeria, disrupting both social and economic activities.

According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, the President is now spearheading efforts to swiftly restore power to the region.

In a decisive move, President Tinubu summoned Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to assess and expedite restoration measures.

He directed the Minister of Power and relevant agencies to accelerate their work in restoring electricity to the affected northern states.

Tinubu expressed deep dismay over reports of vandalism and deliberate damage to power infrastructure and public assets that triggered this outage.

During a briefing with Minister Adelabu, who provided updates on the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN) repair efforts on the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines, the President underscored the need for both immediate and sustainable solutions to prevent future disruptions.

He urged TCN engineers to continue their work tirelessly, emphasising the importance of restoring power to support the social and economic needs of affected communities.

To facilitate uninterrupted restoration efforts, Tinubu instructed the National Security Adviser to collaborate with the Army and Air Force in deploying comprehensive security measures, including aerial support, to protect the engineers working on repairs.

Additionally, President Tinubu called on traditional rulers, community leaders, and other influential figures to work alongside security forces in safeguarding public infrastructure.

He warned that the government will no longer tolerate acts of sabotage or intentional damage to public utilities.