POWER: NISO RAISES ALARM OVER FORCEFUL ENTRY, VANDALIZATION OF EGBU 132/33KV TRANSMISSION SUBSTATION IN OWERRI .... Says Whereabouts Of Staff Unknown

"Given the severity of the situation and the danger it poses to the national grid, NISO Management has resolved to wait until 6:00 p.m. today, 15th November 2025, to establish the whereabouts and safety of the affected staff and if no information is received, all transmission substations within Owerri will be disconnected from the national grid." NISO Management 

 

Management of the National Independent System Operator, NISO has condemned the recent forceful entry and vandalization of the Control Rooms of the Egbu 132/33kV Transmission Substation at Owerri, in Imo State by persons alleged to be operatives acting on behalf of the Imo State government.

A statement from the NISO management disclosed that, "Information received from Owerri indicates that the state government operatives allegedly acting on behalf of the Imo State Government forcefully entered and vandalized the control rooms at the Egbu 132/33kV Transmission Substation in their bid to force the Operators to grant illegal outage". 

The statement noted that, "After forcefully effecting disconnection at gun point, all NISO personnel on duty at the affected facilities were held hostage and forced to open the breakers by the operatives.

"Efforts to reach the Imo State Government for clarification have so far been unsuccessful." 

The NISO management via its statement further disclosed that "contact was made with the Chairman, Imo State Electricity Regulatory Commission, Engr. Bede Okpara, who confirmed awareness of the incident and indicated he would revert with further information. 

"As at the time of this report, no update has been provided, and no government agency or representative of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission has contacted NISO regarding the matter.
The continued absence of official communication on the status of our personnel gives the NISO management a serious concern. 

"Given the severity of the situation and the danger it poses to the national grid, NISO Management has resolved to wait until 6:00 p.m. today, 15th November 2025, to establish the whereabouts and safety of the affected staff and if no information is received, all transmission substations within Owerri will be disconnected from the national grid." The statement warned.