Residents and businesses in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been thrown into darkness for nearly two weeks following a major power outage, with the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) reportedly counting significant financial losses.
The blackout, which has affected major areas including Kubwa, Dutse, Gwarinpa, Sokale, Ushafa, Bwari, and several others, has been attributed to faulty circuit breakers at the Kubwa transmission station, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Bwari Area Council, one of the largest in Abuja, hosts critical federal institutions including the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) headquarters and the Nigerian Law School, all of which have been affected by the prolonged power outage.
Technical Issues and Bureaucratic Delays
An insider source revealed to reporters that billions of naira are being lost daily due to the situation. "It's not even that the transformer at the station is faulty. It's just the circuit breaker that is faulty," the source stated, expressing frustration over what they described as bureaucratic delays in addressing a relatively straightforward technical issue.
A staff member from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the circuit breaker was indeed the problem but denied that TCN was overwhelmed by the situation. The official stated that they had applied for funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria for the purchase and replacement of the circuit breaker.
"We are working tirelessly. Power would be restored," the TCN official said, adding that they had attempted to connect the affected area to the NDIA circuit breaker, but it "seems overloaded and trips off intermittently."
Mounting Losses and Protest Threats
As the blackout continues, residents are counting their losses and threatening to take action. Chief James Ojobo, a resident of Dutse Alhaji, expressed that residents' patience has been stretched to the limit.
"This government should stop playing with our intelligence. Imagine what we have lost these past weeks. Food, meat, and other perishables are gone under this tough economy," Ojobo stated. "I'm not sure we are going to just sit back and fold our arms helplessly. We will rise in protest in a couple of days."
Hon. Emeka Ohaeri, Chairman of Pmagbe Land Lords Association, told reporters that he has been inundated with calls from distressed residents. "I made several efforts to see how we can help, but both the AEDC and the TCN have been so economical with the truth," he said.
Ohaeri added that he received information suggesting the issue might be resolved soon, expressing hope that action would be taken quickly to avert potential protests.
Official Response
AEDC had previously issued a statement on May 8, attributing the blackout to a technical fault at the 33kV Bwari feeder and stating that TCN teams were working to restore power. However, no further official explanations have been provided since then, despite the continuing outage.
Attempts to reach the Bwari branch of AEDC were unsuccessful, with reports indicating a recent change in the office's management. Engineer Bolaji, identified as the Area Manager, did not respond to calls.
As the power outage enters its second week, tension continues to build in the area council, with residents claiming they have exhausted their patience and may resort to protests if the situation is not resolved promptly.
