Power minister sets up panel to stop grid attacks

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has established a ministerial committee to combat vandalism of Nigeria's power infrastructure, following a series of attacks that have disrupted electricity supply and incurred significant repair costs. The committee, comprising security agencies and electricity sector stakeholders, will develop a coordinated response to safeguard generation, transmission, and distribution assets.

It aims to enforce existing laws, utilize technology for protection, and conduct public awareness campaigns to prevent further incidents. This move comes amid the persistent threat from vandals to Nigeria's fragile electricity network. The committee's formation was announced by the Ministry of Power on Friday, as part of ongoing efforts to ensure stable and reliable electricity supply to households, businesses, and industries.

The committee's mandate includes defining the responsibilities of each participating institution to ensure coordinated and sustained efforts to protect power infrastructure. The inaugural meeting, attended by key officials, focused on enforcement, technology deployment, and preventive measures. The committee will align its work with the critical infrastructure unit of the Office of the National Security Adviser, emphasizing that protecting electricity assets is a national security priority.

Participants pledged to collaborate in combating vandalism, with the committee scheduled to reconvene to review progress and assess the implementation of proposed measures.