The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed that six transmission towers along the Yola-Jalingo 330kV transmission line were vandalised, with the Nigeria Police Force arresting a key suspect in connection with the incident.
The damaged towers, identified as T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003 and T1004, were found during a routine inspection by TCN engineers on July 29, 2026.
According to a statement shared on TCN’s official X account on Wednesday, the vandals removed vital bracing members from the towers and made away with about 130 tower components, compromising the structural integrity of the affected installations.
Following the discovery, TCN collaborated with the Nigeria Police Force on a joint operation carried out on July 30, 2026, within the host community. The exercise involved consultations with community leaders and youth representatives to assist in identifying and apprehending those behind the act.
The company said the police later notified TCN on August 1, 2026, that a principal suspect connected to the vandalism had been arrested, while some of the stolen tower materials had been recovered.
“TCN officials visited the site to verify the recovered materials and reiterated the call for the full prosecution of the suspect to ensure justice is served,” the company stated.
TCN added that investigators had obtained useful leads from the suspect in custody and were working to track down other members of the alleged vandalism syndicate.
“The Police have obtained solid leads from the suspect in custody and remain committed to tracking down the remaining members of the syndicate. Investigations are ongoing,” the company said.
The transmission company condemned the continued vandalism of electricity infrastructure, describing the act as a threat to national grid assets and years of investment in the power sector.
TCN urged host communities and the general public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities around transmission installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office.
The company stressed that protecting critical power infrastructure requires collective action to ensure a stable and reliable electricity supply.
