By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has disclosed the arrest of a suspected mastermind behind the vandalism of six transmission towers along the Yola–Jalingo 330kV Transmission Line.
The affected towers, identified as T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003 and T1004, were vandalized by removing critical structural bracing members, putting the integrity of the transmission infrastructure at serious risk.
According to TCN, the vandalism was discovered on July 29, 2026, during a routine patrol by its engineers along the transmission line.
The company said the vandals had removed and carted away an estimated 130 pieces of tower members, an act capable of causing structural failure of the affected towers and potentially disrupting electricity transmission in the region.
Following the discovery, TCN officials, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, conducted a joint raid in the host community on July 30.
During the operation, the team engaged the village head and youth leaders, demanding their cooperation in identifying and producing those responsible for the attack on the national power infrastructure.
TCN said the Police subsequently informed the company on August 1 that a principal suspect linked to the vandalism had been arrested, while some of the stolen tower members had also been recovered.
Officials of TCN later visited the site to verify the recovered materials and called for the full prosecution of the suspect to ensure that those responsible for the destruction of critical national assets are brought to justice.
The company said the Police had obtained useful leads from the suspect in custody and were working to track down other members of the alleged vandalism syndicate, adding that investigations were ongoing.
TCN condemned the continued vandalism of electricity transmission infrastructure, warning that such acts undermine years of investment in the power sector and threaten the reliability of electricity supply.
The company also appealed to host communities and members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around transmission installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office.
“Collective action is essential to protect national grid assets and ensure reliable power supply,” the TCN management said.
