By Mary Izuaka

 

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said six of its transmission towers, T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003, and T1004, along the Yola–Jalingo 330kV transmission line have been vandalised.

In a statement by its management on Wednesday, TCN said the incident was discovered during a routine line patrol by its engineers on 29th July, when it was observed that vandals had stripped critical bracing members from the affected towers, carting away an estimated 130 pieces of tower members.

It said the act posed a severe structural threat to the towers.

“Following the discovery, TCN, on 30th July 2026, conducted a joint raid with the Nigeria Police Force within the host community. During the exercise, the team engaged the village head and youth leadership, demanding their full cooperation in identifying and producing the perpetrators.

“On 1st August 2026, the police notified TCN that a principal suspect linked to the vandalism had been apprehended, and that a portion of the stolen tower members had been recovered,” TCN said.

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TCN said its officials visited the site to verify the recovered materials and reiterated the call for the full prosecution of the suspect to ensure justice is served.

“The police have obtained solid leads from the suspect in custody and remain committed to tracking down the remaining members of the syndicate, investigations are ongoing.

“We strongly condemn the continued vandalism of power transmission infrastructure as it undermines years of investment in the sector.

“We appeal to host communities and the general public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity around transmission installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office. Collective action is crucial for protecting national grid assets and ensuring a reliable power supply,” TCN said.