Armed Robbers Invade TCN Substation, Triggers Emergency Shutdown in Kwara Substation

Operations at the Offa 132kV Transmission Substation were compromised during the early hours of Thursday following an armed security breach.

Operators were forced under duress to deactivate several critical power feeders, resulting in a temporary outage across the Kwara State facility.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Osogbo Region, subsequently declared force majeure on the transmission station following the incident, which raised fresh concerns over the security of critical national infrastructure.

According to TCN, the attackers stormed the substation around 12:45 a.m., overpowering personnel on duty and gaining access to the control room.

The armed men reportedly held workers hostage while ordering the operator on duty to open both the Offa and Ojoku 33kV feeders before demanding a complete shutdown of the station.

During the invasion, several control switches and relay buttons were tampered with, while the station’s 40MVA transformer was also shut down at approximately 1:07 a.m., disrupting electricity transmission within the affected axis.

The company disclosed that emergency restoration efforts commenced shortly after the attackers left the facility.

The 40MVA transformer was restored at about 1:13 a.m., while the Offa 33kV feeder was restored a minute later. Supply through the Ojoku 33kV feeder was eventually restored at 2:15 a.m.

Although TCN did not disclose whether any equipment was vandalised or stolen during the incident, the company expressed regret over the disruption caused to electricity supply and reiterated its commitment to ensuring efficient bulk power transmission to distribution companies nationwide.

The incident adds to growing concerns over repeated attacks and security threats targeting Nigeria’s power infrastructure, with stakeholders warning that continued assaults on transmission facilities could further weaken the stability of the national grid.