Vandals Bring Down Six TCN Transmission Towers, Disrupt Power Supply to Abuja, Jos Distribution Networks
By Onwe Wisdom, Pan Afric Reporters
Nigeria’s power transmission network has suffered another major setback following the vandalism of six critical transmission towers along the Apir–Lafia 330kV transmission corridor, forcing two major transmission lines out of service and threatening electricity supply to thousands of consumers within the Abuja and Jos electricity distribution networks.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) disclosed that towers T125 to T130 on the Apir–Lafia 330kV Transmission Lines I and II were severely damaged by vandals, leading to the collapse of the structures and disruption of power transmission along the strategic corridor.
The disclosure was contained in a press statement issued by TCN and signed by Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, General Manager, Public Affairs, on June 2, 2026.
According to the company, the incident occurred at approximately 1:15 a.m. on May 30, 2026, during a heavy downpour, when both transmission lines tripped.
TCN explained that an initial attempt to restore Line II through a trial reclosure at about 2:08 a.m. was unsuccessful, prompting engineers to conduct a physical inspection of the transmission route.
The inspection, the company said, uncovered extensive damage to critical components on towers T125 to T130, confirming that the outage was caused by deliberate acts of vandalism.
“The tripping of the lines prompted a physical line trace to determine the fault, which revealed damage to critical components of towers T125 to T130, confirming acts of vandalism on the affected sections of the transmission corridor,” the statement said.
As a consequence of the destruction, both Apir–Lafia 330kV Transmission Lines I and II remain out of service pending the reconstruction of the affected towers.
TCN said its engineers have already been mobilised to the site to assess the extent of the damage and determine the materials required for the emergency restoration of the transmission infrastructure.
Despite the setback, the company disclosed that temporary measures have been put in place to reduce the impact on electricity consumers.
“Meanwhile, the Lafia 330kV Transmission Station is being supplied through the Lafia–Jos transmission line as a temporary measure to minimise the impact of the outage on affected electricity customers within the franchise areas of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC),” the statement noted.
The latest incident adds to growing concerns over the persistent vandalism of power infrastructure across the country, a challenge industry stakeholders say continues to undermine investments aimed at improving electricity supply and grid stability.
TCN strongly condemned the destruction of the transmission towers, describing it as a direct attack on critical national infrastructure and a major threat to efforts at strengthening the nation’s electricity network.
“TCN strongly condemns the continued vandalism of power transmission infrastructure as it undermines years of investment in the sector,” the company stated.
The utility firm warned that the incident would have direct consequences on power delivery to communities served by both AEDC and JEDC until the damaged infrastructure is rebuilt and transmission capacity fully restored.
It therefore appealed to host communities, security agencies, and members of the public to support efforts aimed at protecting transmission assets across the country.
“We appeal to host communities and the general public to remain vigilant and report any 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 statement added.
Industry analysts note that repeated attacks on transmission facilities continue to pose significant challenges to Nigeria’s power sector, often resulting in prolonged outages, costly repairs, and disruptions to economic activities in affected regions.
The reconstruction of the damaged towers is expected to commence as soon as TCN completes its technical assessment and mobilises the required materials and personnel to the site.
