There is a growing concern at the Transmission Company of Nigeria regarding the increasing incidents of vandalism targeting transmission installations nationwide.
Recent arrests were made by the police involving suspects who were found in possession of stolen TCN towers.
In a statement released on Tuesday, TCN spokesperson Ndidi Mbah emphasized the urgent need for collaboration from all citizens, especially those residing in communities where these installations are situated.
Mbah highlighted that TCN has been actively engaging with security forces, local communities, and vigilante groups in response to this escalating issue.
“Within a span of less than six weeks, notably between July 1 and August 11, 2024, TCN facilities have faced several vandalism attacks. These incidents have been widespread, impacting all transmission regions of TCN.
“The apprehension of vandals in a blue pick-up van on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, laden with tower components and cables stolen from transmission towers along the Damboa/Maiduguri 132KV transmission line was a significant development,” Ndidi Mbah stated.
“These vandals have been detained by law enforcement at the Damboa police station and are set to be transferred to the National Police Force Headquarters in Maiduguri,” she added.
Mbah disclosed that the stolen tower components and cables were taken from the towers along the Damboa/Maiduguri 132kV transmission line, which is currently being reconstructed due to a previous vandalism incident.
She further mentioned that on August 11, 2024, vandals targeted towers T377, T378, and T379 along the Gombe-Damaturu 330kV transmission line, necessitating urgent repair work after a prior vandalism episode involving IEDs on towers T193 and T194. Notably, two vandals were neutralized by hunters at the Damaturu end of the line.
“Additional incidents occurred on August 3 and 5, 2024, where vandals attacked towers on transmission line routes within the Enugu Region of TCN. The first assault focused on tower T9 on the Apir-Aliede 330kV transmission line, followed by another targeting tower T12 on the Apir-Otukpo-Yandev 123kV transmission line, both passing through Ikpayango Village.
“Prompt action by local vigilantes prevented theft during the first attack, as they intercepted the vandals attempting to steal the skywire,” Mbah mentioned.
She also informed that on August 5, 2024, vandals successfully dismantled and stole the yellow phase conductor from towers T11 to T12 along the Apir-Otukpo-Yandev line, leading to disruptions in power supply.
“TCN engineers swiftly responded by removing the remaining conductors on tower T11, ensuring the continued supply of electricity to Yandev, Otukpo, and Takum through the 132kV New Haven-Otukpo transmission line,” she elaborated.
Given the circumstance, Mbah reiterated that the TCN team had segregated the impacted towers for repair purposes, stabilizing the network supplying power to Otukpo, Yandev, and Takum from the New Haven Substation.
The 150MVA power transformer affected by the vandalism incident had been examined and restored, she assured.
“On July 24, 2024, in the Osogbo Region, Tower T328 along the 330kV Osogbo-Ganmo line in Osun State suffered vandalism in the Oba-Oke area of Osogbo. The structural damage to the tower was severe, prompting emergency repair work to avert collapse and safeguard power transmission.
“TCN promptly reported these events to various security agencies, including the military, police, DSS, and civil defense corps. Additionally, discussion with the Oba of Oba-Oke underscored the necessity of community cooperation in securing these critical installations. More local vigilantes have also been deployed to enhance monitoring efforts,” Mbah elaborated.
In a separate incident at the Benin Region of TCN, on July 19, tower T449 at Oluku Community along the Ihovbor/Benin 330kV transmission line was vandalized, leading to significant damage to the tower structure.
Furthermore, on July 25, tower T72 along the Benin/Egbin 330kV transmission line in Oluku Community faced vandalism, necessitating reinforcement by TCN engineers to avoid collapse.
There were also reported cases of vandalism in the Port Harcourt Region of TCN, where Towers T98 and T99 along the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV line in the Igbogene Community of Bayelsa State collapsed on July 29 due to acts of vandalism.
“The recent spate of vandalism in North East transmission lines, managed by the Bauchi Region of TCN, raises concerns. The affected lines stretching from Jos 330kV Transmission Substation to Maiduguri have experienced multiple acts of vandalism, necessitating immediate intervention to safeguard power systems,” Mbah concluded.
The fight against vandalism remains crucial in maintaining a reliable power network, emphasizing the importance of collective efforts from communities, security agencies, and vigilante groups.