The Federal Government has announced plans to establish a special security team to safeguard Nigeria’s power installations and infrastructure.

“We have now decided, in collaboration with the Minister of Power, to set up what we call the ‘Power Rangers’,” Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said on Friday during an appearance on Sunrise Daily.

The ‘Power Rangers’ will consist of officers from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and will be tasked with preventing the vandalism of power infrastructure, which has contributed to persistent blackouts across the country.

Amid rising incidents of power facility vandalism and public outcry over frequent blackouts, the minister emphasised the need for a targeted solution to the problem.

He cited the successes of the Mines Marshals, a security initiative launched by the Federal Government in March 2024 to address security challenges in the mining sector, as inspiration for this initiative.

“What existed before we (the Bola Tinubu administration) came into office was a general approach to protecting national assets. However, we realised that a one-size-fits-all solution is ineffective,” he stated.

“We need to assess each sector individually—the power sector, water sector, education sector, health sector—and create dedicated Civil Defence units under the same umbrella.”

Although the decision to establish the ‘Power Rangers’ has been finalised, the minister did not specify a launch date for the unit. However, he outlined some of the steps currently being taken to implement the initiative.

“We have already agreed on the modus operandi, and as I speak, the officers are undergoing screening,” he revealed.

“Bear in mind that we will have officers stationed across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory because every state has power infrastructure, just like the solid minerals sector.

“We are in the process of onboarding officers, which involves profiling them, assessing their competence, evaluating their areas of specialisation, and even considering their physical fitness.”