TCN confirms vandalism of six transmission towers on Yola–Jalingo line, reports arrest
TCN confirms vandalism of six transmission towers on Yola–Jalingo line, reports arrest
By Onu Okorie
Transmission Company of Nigeria TCN has confirmed that six of its transmission towers along the Yola–Jalingo 330kV line were vandalized, with a suspect now in police custody and some stolen materials recovered.
In its statement, TCN condemned the ongoing vandalism of power infrastructure, warning that such attacks undermine years of investment in Nigeria’s electricity sector.
TCN said the affected towers — identified as T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003 and T1004,vwere found stripped of critical bracing members during a routine line patrol by company engineers on July 29, 2026. According to the company, vandals made off with roughly 130 pieces of tower components, leaving the structures dangerously compromised.
A day after the discovery, TCN and the Nigeria Police Force carried out a joint raid in the host community, engaging local leadership, including the village head and youth representatives, to press for cooperation in identifying those responsible.
Police informed TCN on August 1 that a key suspect had been arrested and that part of the stolen equipment had been recovered. TCN officials subsequently visited the site to confirm the recovered materials and called for the suspect to be fully prosecuted.
Investigators said they have gathered useful leads from the suspect in custody and are continuing efforts to track down other members of the alleged vandalism syndicate.
The company urged host communities and the public to stay alert and report suspicious activity near transmission installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office, stressing that protecting national grid assets requires collective action.
