Power outage has hit Maitama as AEDC accuses FCDA official and land grabbers of invading critical substation.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the residents and businesses in Maitama and surrounding areas of Abuja have been thrown into darkness after the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) announced a disruption in power supply following the alleged invasion and unlawful encroachment of its C2 Maitama Substation by suspected land grabbers.
In a public notice issued on Friday, AEDC alleged that the invasion was led by an Assistant Director of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), identified as Chinedu Okoro.
According to the electricity distribution company, the C2 Maitama Substation is a critical power infrastructure that supplies electricity to residential estates, businesses, diplomatic missions, and key government institutions within the area.
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AEDC said the alleged encroachment resulted in the destruction of vital electricity cables and other network infrastructure, making it unsafe and technically impossible to continue electricity distribution from the facility.
“The C2 Maitama Substation is a critical electricity distribution installation serving homes, businesses, diplomatic missions and government institutions. During the encroachment, vital electricity cables and other network infrastructure were damaged, making it unsafe and technically impossible to continue power supply from the facility,” the company stated.
The company disclosed that it has petitioned the relevant authorities over the incident, insisting that both the substation and the land on which it is situated legally belong to AEDC.
It called for a comprehensive investigation into the matter and urged law enforcement agencies to take appropriate legal action against those responsible.
AEDC also condemned what it described as the unlawful encroachment on critical national infrastructure, warning that such actions not only disrupt electricity supply but also negatively impact economic activities and the delivery of essential public services.
The distribution company expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to customers and assured affected residents that restoration of electricity supply would begin once the substation is secured and the damaged infrastructure is repaired.
“We regret the inconvenience caused and assure customers that restoration efforts will commence as soon as the substation is secured and the damaged infrastructure is rebuilt. We appreciate the understanding and support of our customers as we work with the relevant authorities to resolve this unfortunate situation,” the statement added.
