Tension is mounting in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as a prolonged power outage continues to cripple daily life and business. The blackout, which has persisted for nearly two weeks, has left millions of residents in the dark, forcing many to count heavy losses and threaten massive protests if electricity is not restored immediately.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) are currently under intense public scrutiny, with insiders blaming the outage on a faulty circuit breaker at the Kubwa transmission station.
Bwari Area Council, one of the largest in Abuja, includes strategic communities such as Kubwa, Dutse, Gwarinpa, Sokale, Ushafa, Jiigo, Pambara, and Usma Dam. It is also home to key federal institutions like the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) headquarters and the Nigerian Law School.
Insider Laments Losses, Incompetence
A source close to the situation described the blackout as a result of unnecessary bureaucracy and alleged incompetence.
“This shouldn’t take one hour to fix. It’s just a circuit breaker, not a transformer. Yet, we’ve been in darkness for almost two weeks. The system is broken,” the source told Naija Blog Daily.
He added that billions of Naira are lost daily, as businesses suffer and perishables waste under Nigeria’s already strained economy.
TCN Responds, Seeks CBN Funding
A TCN staff member, who requested anonymity, confirmed the faulty circuit breaker as the source of the problem. He said the company is working “tirelessly” and has applied for funding from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to purchase a replacement unit.
Temporary efforts to reroute power through the NDIA circuit breaker have failed, as it becomes overloaded and trips off intermittently, leaving residents frustrated.
Residents Threaten Protest
Residents have now reached a breaking point. Mrs. Blessing, a Kubwa resident, told Naija Blog Daily:
“This government is toying with our lives. We’ve lost food, meat, and other perishables. We can’t keep quiet. We will protest in the coming days.”
Hon. Emeka Ohaeri, Chairman of the Pmagbe Landlords Association, said he’s been inundated with calls from frustrated residents.
“People call me non-stop, thinking I can fix it. AEDC and TCN have not been truthful. If this isn’t fixed soon, I foresee serious protests.”
He emphasized that institutions like JAMB, the Nigerian Law School, DSS training school, and Veritas University have all been affected, along with small businesses and households.
AEDC Blames Technical Fault, Issues No Update
Earlier, AEDC blamed the blackout on a technical fault on the 33kV Bwari feeder in a statement issued on May 8. Since then, no new update has been provided, and efforts to reach key officials, including the area manager, Engineer Bolaji, have been unsuccessful.
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Meanwhile, residents remain in total darkness, with anger and uncertainty growing over what many describe as avoidable negligence.
Naija Blog Daily will continue to monitor this developing story. Stay connected for updates and real-time reports from affected communities.
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