The Imo State Police Command has clarified that a recent incident at the Egbu 132/33kV Transmission Substation in Owerri was not an abduction, as initially reported, but rather a dispute between electricity distribution companies.

Reports circulated over the weekend suggesting that personnel at the facility had been held hostage, prompting concern among residents.

However, DSP Henry Okoye, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, in the statement issued on Sunday, confirmed that preliminary findings indicate no operators from the National Integrated Power Transmission Company (NISO) or the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) were abducted or coerced to disconnect any equipment.

?The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to launch a full-scale investigation to ascertain the remote and immediate circumstances surrounding the incident,? Okoye stated.

Police attributed the disruption to an ?operational disagreement? involving the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and the Orashi Electricity Distribution Company. The matter was reportedly addressed at the scene with the presence of the Chairman of the Imo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (ISERC).

?Preliminary findings show that there is no indication that National Integrated Power Transmission Company (NISO) or Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) personnel were abducted, held hostage, or forced to disconnect any facility,? the statement read.

The Command assured the public that measures have been taken to maintain security at the substation and to prevent future occurrences.

?In synergy with the Imo State Government, the Command remains fully committed to ensuring that TCN/NISO operators and all electricity personnel carry out their duties safely, professionally, and without intimidation,? the statement read.

Authorities continue to investigate the matter and have emphasised the importance of clear reporting to prevent the spread of misinformation about critical infrastructure operations.

Alleged missing staff members

The Guardian reports that on Saturday, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) expressed concern over the reported intrusion at the Egbu 132/33kV Transmission Substation, alleging that staff members were forced at gunpoint to effect a disconnection.

In a statement on Saturday, NISO said some of its personnel remain unaccounted for following the alleged intervention by operatives described as acting on behalf of the Imo State Government. According to the statement, the intruders entered the control rooms and compelled operators to grant what was termed an ?illegal outage.?

?Information received from Owerri indicates that the state government operatives, allegedly acting on behalf of the Imo State Government, forcefully entered and vandalised the control rooms at the Egbu substation in their bid to compel the operators to grant illegal outage,? NISO stated. ?After forcefully effecting disconnection at gunpoint, all NISO personnel on duty at the affected facilities were held hostage and forced to open the breakers by the operatives.?

Attempts to obtain clarification from the Imo State Government reportedly yielded no response. NISO confirmed that contact was made with Bede Okpara, chairman of the Imo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (ISERC), who acknowledged awareness of the incident and promised to provide further details, but no update had been received at the time of reporting.

?The continued absence of official communication on the status of our personnel gives the NISO management serious concern,? the statement added. NISO further warned that, should it remain unable to ascertain the safety and whereabouts of its staff, ?all transmission substations within Owerri will be disconnected from the national grid.?

The incident underscores ongoing tensions over operational control at critical electricity infrastructure, and NISO emphasised the need for immediate clarification from relevant authorities to ensure the safety of its staff and the stability of the transmission network.

(The Guardian)

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