The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested a principal suspect linked to the vandalism of six of its transmission towers, T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003, and T1004, along the Yola–Jalingo 330kV Transmission Line.
TCN announced in a statement on Wednesday that the incident was discovered during a routine line patrol by its Engineers on 29th July 2026, when it was observed that vandals had stripped critical bracing members from the affected towers, carting away an estimated 130 pieces of tower members -the act that posed a severe structural threat to the towers.
The company explained that following the discovery, it conducted a joint raid with the Nigeria Police Force within the host community, during which the team engaged the village head and youth leadership, demanding their full cooperation in identifying and producing the perpetrators.
TCN said on August 1st, 2026, the Police notified TCN that a principal suspect linked to the vandalism had been apprehended, and that a portion of the stolen tower members 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 that justice is served.
It said the Police have obtained solid leads from the suspect in custody, noting that investigations are ongoing to tracking down the remaining members of the syndicate,
“We strongly condemn the continued vandalism of power transmission infrastructure as it undermines years of investment in the sector,” the Company said, appealing to host communities and the general public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity 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,” it added.
