NISO to Disconnect Electricity Supply to Owerri after Attack on Its Workers by Imo Govt’s Officials

• TCN announces arrest of five suspects for vandalising power assets in Benue 

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja 

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has announced that it would disconnect power supply to Owerri, the Imo State capital, after government officials allegedly attacked and whisked away some of its workers in the state.

This is just as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), stated that five suspected vandals from Upu Community in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State were arrested by a local security group while vandalising the Otukpo–Yandev 132kV Single-Circuit transmission line.

In a statement it issued yesterday, the agency gave a deadline of 6pm yesterday for the government to release its officials safely or the state capital will be effectively removed from the national grid.

The NISO stated that government operatives allegedly acting on behalf of the Imo State government forcefully entered and vandalised the control rooms at the Egbu 132/33kV transmission substation.

“Information received from Owerri indicates that the state government operatives allegedly acting on behalf of the Imo State Government forcefully entered and vandalised the control rooms at the Egbu 132/33kV transmission substation in their bid to force the operators to grant an illegal outage.

“After forcefully carrying out disconnection at gun-point, all NISO personnel on duty at the affected facilities were held hostage and forced to open the breakers by the operatives,” the statement added.

According to NISO, all efforts to reach the government for an amicable settlement failed.

The statement added that the Chairman of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC), Bede Okpara, who confirmed awareness of the incident, indicated he would revert with further information.

“As at the time of this report, no update has been provided, and no government agency or representative of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission has contacted NISO regarding the matter,” NISO added.

“The continued absence of official communication on the status of our personnel gives the NISO management a serious concern. Given the severity of the situation and the danger it poses to the national grid, NISO management has resolved to wait until 6:00 p.m. today (yesterday) November 15, 2025, to establish the whereabouts and safety of the affected staff and if no information is received, all transmission substations within Owerri will be disconnected from the national grid,” NISO added.

Meanwhile, the TCN has stated that five suspected vandals were arrested in Benue State while vandalising the Otukpo–Yandev 132kV Single-Circuit transmission line.

“The suspects were caught in the act while vandalising towers N16 and N17 in ASA 3 Community, with damage done extending to eight other towers along the line. Consequently, the suspects with dismembered parts of the towers and other materials recovered were handed over to the Benue State Police Command for investigation and prosecution,” TCN said in a statement in Abuja.

TCN said the damaged section of the line had been isolated and bulk power restored to Yandev, Wukari, Takum, and Kashimbila Transmission Substation through the Apir Substation, while the Otukpo Substation is being back fed from the New Heaven Substation.

It commended the Chairman, Otukpo LGA, community leaders, youths and members of the local vigilante group for their support in coordinating the arrest of the vandals and promised to sustain the synergy with the community for protection of its critical transmission infrastructure in the area.