Nigeria’s northern states have been plunged into darkness for nearly two weeks as workmen can’t venture into the area where power infrastructure is damaged due to chronic insecurity.
The blackout has affected 17 out of Nigeria’s 36 states as engineers have been unable to reach the affected area in Niger State to repair the damage because it is said to be occupied by armed groups.
President Bola Tinubu is reportedly meant to be considering sending the military to provide cover for the repair work to be undertaken. Reporter Sam Olukoya for France 24 said this was one of the worst cases of power failure in the country, taking account of the duration and land mass of the affected areas. It also reflected on the capacity of armed groups in Nigeria to disrupt economic activity.
Insecurity in Nigeria is compounded by incompetence, corruption and misguided neoliberalism of the government. This has seen the country suffer the worst economic crisis in a generation.
