Security measures have been beefed up at the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP) project site in Borno ahead of its inauguration by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the President will on Thursday commission the 50-Megawatt gas-fired power plant built by the Federal Government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in collaboration with Borno state government.
Maiduguri, a major city in the North-East of Nigeria, was thrown into darkness due to vandalism and attacks by insurgents on the town’s critical power supply infrastructure, which degenerated into perpetual power outages.
Two major incidences of such unfortunate attacks were the destruction of three towers of electricity power lines along Damaturu- Maiduguri Road by the insurgents on January 25 and March 27, 2021.
President Buhari in April 2021 directed the management of NNPC Limited to restore power supply to Maiduguri and its environs.
Following engagements with the Borno State Government, NNPCL embarked on a 50-Megawatt gas-fired power plant project aimed at providing reliable and sustainable electricity to the city and its environs.
NAN reported that many officials of Nigerian security agencies, including the Department of State Security Service (DSS), soldiers and police personnel have been deployed at the site.
Some paramilitary agencies, including the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Federal Fire Service are also on ground.
The officials of NNPCL, members of the cabinet, some royal fathers and some medical teams with their equipment were also reported seen at the site.
The President is expected to be accompanied by the Minister of Power, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, and his Petroleum Resources Ministry counterpart, Chief Timipre Sylva, as well as Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State and the Group CEO of NNPCL, Malam Mele Kyari, who also hails from Borno State.
Other top government functionaries from federal and state governments also attended the event.