It is appalling to think that despite the myriad of challenges experienced by the Nigerian power sector, the Boko haram insurgency has become one of them. The Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009 when the Jihadist group Boko Haram started an armed revolt against the Nigerian government.
We are all conversant of the severe harm this group of individuals have caused over the years in the country to humans and infrastructure, especially in the country’s north eastern region. These hoodlums have taken it on the supply of electricity.
As of the beginning of the year 2020, Nigeria’s transmission company (TCN) reported that the insurgents had thrown Maiduguri and its neighbouring communities into total darkness after cutting off the city from the national grid’s electricity supply.
Only yesterday, the TCN cried out again that insurgents have again vandalised two towers along the Damaturu – Maiduguri 330kV transmission line. This report is coming barely after two months since they last attacked the line and one week since the TCN fixed the line (learn more).
It is said that the only thing that tends to keep the community members in the state going is being vandalised time and time again, bearing in mind that the country is still yet to obtain adequate electricity supply.
Is there anything that can be done to curb these insurgents? Because going down memory lane, several measures have been taken to arrest this situation, but it appears the measures only increase the insurgency’s dimension.