In response to the devastating power outages in the North East, sparked by the repeated vandalism of power towers, the Arewa Youth Assembly is advocating for capital punishment for those found guilty of destroying essential public infrastructure.
They are calling on the National Assembly to enact laws that reflect the severity of such crimes.
If left unchecked, the destructive spree of vandals targeting power towers could spiral out of control, imperiling other critical public infrastructure and jeopardizing the region’s progress and prosperity.
Dr. Usman Jada, the Arewa group’s North East coordinator, denounced the vandals who targeted three power line towers along the Biu-Damboa 132kv transmission line, accusing them of a malicious campaign to keep the region in the dark, despite government initiatives to revamp power infrastructure.
According to him, “We join other voices of reason in the North East region to condemn the vandalization of three towers (T1690, T1691, and T1692) along the Biu–Danboa 132kV transmission line and the theft of 16 spans of conductors, which have continued to leave the North East region without a proper supply of electricity.
“This is an act of deliberate sabotage to frustrate the TCN’s effort to meet the May 27th deadline for fully restoring power to the North East, and it is no coincidence that it happened at such a time when the TCN is making massive efforts to reconstruct the already vandalized towers.
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“These vandals must be stopped, and therefore we are calling on the National Assembly to enact laws carrying the death penalty for anyone found vandalizing any facility. Otherwise, they will keep destroying facilities meant for the public, thereby exposing host communities to the dangers of destroyed towers and unending darkness.
“It is also paramount for North East stakeholders, the Vice President, the National Security Adviser, and North East Governors to rally support for the Minister of Power and TCN Management to ensure the protection of critical government facilities and installations in the North East.”
Dr. Jada also mentioned that the group will soon commence a sensitization campaign across the region on the importance of safeguarding public infrastructure.
The Arewa group’s North East coordinator, Dr. Jada, called on security agencies responsible for protecting public assets to crack down on the perpetrators of power line vandalism, holding them accountable for their destructive actions.