18 electricity towers destroyed in five days as TCN decries vandalism

Vandals have destroyed and looted 18 electricity towers across Rivers, Abia, and Kano States in the last five days, plunging communities into darkness.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) stated this in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by its General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah.

The company described the spate of destruction of electricity towers as a severe threat to the nation’s power sector.

“These incidents present a significant challenge to our operations and the fulfillment of our mandate to supply uninterrupted electricity to Nigerians,” Mbah said.

The destruction was uncovered during routine inspections. In Rivers State, engineers discovered on January 10 that towers 171 through 181 and tower 184 along the Owerri/Ahoada 132kV line had been stripped of base brackets, destabilizing their structures. Just four days later, towers 146, 147, and 149 along the same line were similarly vandalized.

In Abia State, vandals targeted towers 160 to 162 along the Alaoji/Umuahia 132kV line, stealing bolts, nuts, and structural components. In Kano, towers 105, 106, and 107 on the Katsina-Gazoua transmission line were critically damaged on January 9, risking a total collapse of the structures.

The vandalism has not spared the federal capital. In the early hours of Friday, January 17, TCN engineers discovered damaged underground cables near Millennium Park in Abuja. The sabotage caused power outages at the presidential villa, the office of the Minister of Power, and other key locations in the central area.

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Mbah lamented the growing threat posed by vandals and the buyers of stolen materials, whom she labeled as saboteurs of national progress. “These incidents are not just acts of theft; they are acts of sabotage against Nigeria’s economic and social development,” she stated.

The TCN has ramped up security measures, increasing patrols, collaborating with local vigilante groups, and working closely with security operatives. However, Mbah stressed that public support is crucial to halting the menace.

“Communities hosting our installations must see the transmission network as a shared asset essential for our socioeconomic growth. This is a collective fight, and all hands must be on deck to safeguard our power infrastructure,” she said.

The financial and operational impact of repeated vandalism is enormous. Constant repairs to damaged installations are draining resources that could otherwise be channeled into grid expansion and improving power supply.

The government is taking action, with the Ministry of Power allocating ₦8 billion in the 2025 budget for a nationwide sensitization campaign to curb vandalism and encourage prompt payment of electricity bills.

As Nigeria battles to modernize its power sector, the TCN is urging Nigerians to join forces against the growing threat of vandalism. “We must recognize that the growth of the power sector is critical to our national development,” Mbah stated.

The recent incidents serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of Nigeria’s electricity network and the urgent need for collective responsibility in safeguarding it.

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