By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have strengthened their partnership to combat the growing menace of vandalism and sabotage of electricity transmission infrastructure across the country.

The renewed commitment emerged from a high-level strategic meeting held at the TCN Corporate Headquarters in Abuja, where officials from the three institutions agreed on the need for enhanced intelligence sharing, coordinated security operations, and the deployment of technology-driven surveillance systems to protect critical national assets.

Speaking during the meeting, TCN Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Dr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, praised the increasing collaboration between the power utility and security agencies, describing it as essential to safeguarding the nation’s transmission network.

He stressed that sustained inter-agency cooperation, prompt response to security threats, effective law enforcement, and intelligence sharing remain vital in curbing attacks on transmission facilities.
Abdulaziz lamented the continued destruction of transmission assets, describing it as a major operational and financial burden on the company.

He cited the recent vandalism of six transmission towers along the Apir–Makurdi transmission line and the destruction of 14 spans of conductors on the Lambata 132kV transmission line as examples of the severe impact of criminal activities on the national grid.

According to him, TCN was compelled to mobilize contractors for emergency repairs despite financial constraints, only for vandals to strike again while restoration work was still underway.

The TCN chief disclosed that the company has intensified community sensitization programmes nationwide, engaging traditional rulers, host communities, and security agencies to foster collective responsibility for protecting transmission facilities.

He also advocated the establishment of a joint monitoring centre and the deployment of modern surveillance technology to enable real-time monitoring of transmission assets and ensure faster responses to security threats.

In his remarks, the Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Army Intelligence Programme (NAIP) in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Air Vice Marshal E. E. Effiom, called for innovative approaches to securing critical national infrastructure.
Effiom proposed a three-tier protection strategy built on Delay, Awareness, and Response.

He explained that physical barriers should be deployed to delay intruders, surveillance technology should be leveraged to enhance early detection, while security agencies must maintain rapid response capabilities to apprehend and prosecute offenders.

He noted that effective infrastructure protection requires a combination of physical deterrents, advanced technology, and swift security intervention, adding that community vigilantes can only be effective when supported with timely intelligence and adequate technological tools.

Also speaking, the NSCDC representative, Assistant Commandant General (ACG) Power, Akinlade Esther O., reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to supporting TCN in protecting critical transmission infrastructure nationwide.

She assured TCN management that NSCDC commands across the federation remain on standby to respond to incidents of vandalism and work closely with the company to ensure offenders are investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

At the end of the meeting, the three agencies pledged to deepen institutional collaboration through enhanced intelligence sharing, regular stakeholder engagement, and coordinated security operations.

The stakeholders expressed confidence that stronger partnerships and proactive security measures would significantly reduce vandalism, strengthen the protection of critical electricity infrastructure, and contribute to a more reliable and resilient national grid.

The meeting was attended by TCN management, senior officials from the Office of the National Security Adviser, and representatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Statement by Ndidi Mbah, General Manager, Public Affairs, TCN, on Thursday”, stated.