RismadarVoice Reporters
May 9, 2026
The Transmission Company of Nigeria has declared force majeure on the Offa 132kV Transmission Substation in Kwara State after armed men reportedly invaded the facility and held workers hostage at gunpoint.
GUNMEN STORM TCN SUBSTATION IN KWARA, FORCE SHUTDOWN OF POWER FEEDERS
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday, was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the company’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah.
According to the statement, the attackers forcefully gained access to the control room of the substation and compelled personnel on duty to shut down critical electricity feeders supplying power from the facility.
Mbah explained that the armed men ordered the operator on duty to disconnect both the Offa and Ojoku 33kV feeders at about 12:45 a.m. before demanding a complete shutdown of the substation.
“The attackers ordered the operator on duty to open both the Offa and Ojoku 33kV feeders at exactly 12:45 am on Thursday, May 7, 2026. They further demanded a total shutdown of the substation,” the statement said.
The company also revealed that the intruders tampered with vital operational equipment during the attack, including control switches and relay systems linked to the station’s 40MVA transformer.
According to TCN, the transformer was shut down at approximately 1:07 a.m. before emergency restoration measures were initiated shortly afterwards.
Power supply was gradually restored within minutes of the incident, with the 40MVA transformer reportedly restored by 1:13 a.m., while the Offa and Ojoku feeders were re-energised at 1:14 a.m. and 2:15 a.m. respectively.
While no casualties were reported, the company said the incident disrupted operations and posed a serious threat to critical national infrastructure.
TCN expressed regret over any inconvenience caused to electricity consumers and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring stable bulk power transmission across the country.
Authorities have yet to determine the motive behind the attack, and no group has claimed responsibility for the invasion as of the time of reporting.
