There was total blackout in most area of Rivers as some angry youth in the late hours of Friday, August 14, reportedly took over control of the Afam power station belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria and thereby shutting down the power station.
Mrs Chioma Aninwe, the acting Manager, Corporate Communications, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
She said that the youth, who forcefully took control of the facility, had demanded 24-hour electricity supply to their communities in Oyibo Local Government Area of Rivers.
Aninwe said, “The youths, known as Oyibo Youths, shutdown Afam Transmission lines around 21:04 p.m. on Friday, thereby, throwing the entire Port Harcourt and Rivers state into darkness.
“The youths took laws into their hands and marched in their numbers to the transmission station, forcing the operators to shut down supply without observing safety measures.
“This ugly incident has become the order of the day due to their acclaimed inadequate power supply to their communities.
“PHED also informed them of the need for the company to apply systematic load shedding in order to accommodate all its customers.
“However, all our attempts have proven futile as the youths insisted on 24-hour supply, negating our efforts at ensuring equitable distribution of supply to customers.
“PHED condemns in its entirety the frequent shutdown of Afam power station, and hereby, draws the attention of law enforcement agencies and the Rivers government.
“We urge the authorities to come to our aid and put a final stop to this frequent disruption of power distribution to customers at the slightest power challenge in the state.”
In a related development, angry youths blocked a major federal government road in Delta state in protest against both federal and state governments neglect.