The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed the vandalism of six transmission towers along the Yola–Jalingo 330kV transmission line, revealing that the Nigeria Police Force has arrested a key suspect and recovered some of the stolen components.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, TCN said the affected towers—T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003 and T1004—were discovered during a routine patrol by its engineers on July 29, 2026.
According to the company, vandals stripped about 130 critical bracing members from the towers, leaving the structures vulnerable and posing a serious threat to the integrity of the transmission line.
Following the discovery, TCN said it carried out a joint operation with the Nigeria Police Force on July 30 within the host community. During the raid, the team met with the village head and youth leaders, urging them to assist security agencies in identifying those responsible for the sabotage.
The company disclosed that on August 1, the police informed it that a principal suspect had been apprehended and that part of the stolen tower members had been recovered. TCN officials subsequently visited the location to verify the recovered materials and called for the suspect’s full prosecution.
TCN added that investigators have obtained useful leads from the suspect and are working to apprehend other members of the vandalism syndicate.
The company condemned the repeated attacks on power transmission infrastructure, describing them as acts that undermine years of investment in Nigeria’s electricity sector and threaten the stability of the national grid.
It also appealed to host communities and the general public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around transmission installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office, stressing that collective efforts are crucial to safeguarding critical national infrastructure and ensuring reliable electricity supply.
