BY JAMES JAURO, JANUARY 30, 2023 | 03:22 PM
Residents of the Police College in Maiduguri have raised concerns over what they described as continued delay by the Yola Electricity Distribution Company to restore their light.
Maiduguri stayed for over 20 months in darkness before the light was returned in January last year.
The blackout was caused by the vandalization of a transmission line by Boko Haram terrorists along the Maiduguri - Damaturu road.
In the metropolis, the residents of Damboa Road, Government Residential Area, GRA, Polo and Baga Road, among other areas, have been enjoying the electricity except for a few communities, including the Police College.
The electricity company said the problem is due to a technical issue that is already being fixed.
However, the residents of the Police College said the company is being non-chalant about the matter.
They complained that for almost a year, they have been seeing light in other communities while they have continued to live in darkness.
'We are seeing light in other communities in the metropolitan area all the time but our barracks are not connected. This difference is an infringement of our constitutional rights,' Malgwi Hassan, one of the residents of the community said.
According to the residents, the blackouts have continued to inconvenience them in different ways.
They said as police officers, the blackout is also affecting their ability to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.
'Our situation as a result of lack of light is pitiful because we can no longer use our electronic appliances, even charging our phones is sometimes difficult. Now tell me how we can protect life and property?
'We know that Boko Haram destroyed the light in 2021 in Auno village but now it has been repaired and we have been seeing light in some areas in Maiduguri but not our barracks,' an inspector of police who refused to be named said.
In his response, Masoyud Salisu, the regional manager of the electricity company asked the residents to be patient.
He said the company is aware that the Police College and other communities are not connected with electricity.
He mentioned Gomari Airport, Bullumkutu, and Moduganari, among other communities, are similarly not connected
He explained that all transformers in the communities were damaged during the blackout.
'Let me tell you it is not only police college Maiduguri but other communities like Gomari airport, Bullumkutu, Moduganari and the rest but they should not worry they will soon get light inshallah.
'The situation was because during the blackout some miscreants damaged about 300 transformers within Maiduguri. We are working on them as you can see more than 20 units of our staff have gone out for work,' the manager said.
'We have a target of communities to be reconnected with electricity every month.
'Therefore, we are working tirelessly to see that we have achieved our target,' he added.
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