
Severe power outage lasting 11 days has ignited widespread frustration and demands for the dismissal of the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu.
This blackout, which began on October 21, 2024, has affected at least 15 states in the North East and North West regions, leaving millions without electricity.
The disruption was caused by insurgents vandalizing the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line, a critical component of the national grid.
Despite repeated assurances from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Minister Adelabu that power would be restored, the region remains in darkness.
Adelabu promised that electricity would return within five days, yet residents continue to face significant economic losses due to the ongoing outage.
Prominent voices have emerged in response to the crisis. Kunle Olubiyo, President of the Nigeria Consumer Protection Network, described the situation as a "national embarrassment" and called for an emergency in the power sector.
He advocated for decentralizing the national grid into ten industrial hubs to enhance efficiency, citing "institutional corruption" and "inefficiency" as major obstacles. Olubiyo urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend both the Minister of Power and the Managing Director of TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, to allow for a thorough investigation.
Eze Onyekpere, Lead Director of the Centre for Social Justice, echoed these sentiments, stating, "It is incompetence on the part of the security agencies and the Minister, that is why there is a power outage in the northern region."
He emphasized the need for a swift government response to prevent such prolonged outages in the future.
The blackout has compounded existing challenges in the region, where residents are already grappling with high fuel prices and inflation.
As businesses remain shuttered and daily life disrupted, the call for accountability and systemic reform grows louder.
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