The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with the vandalism of six transmission towers along the Yola–Jalingo 330kV transmission line, following a joint operation with the Nigeria Police Force.
In a statement signed by the management of the transmission company on Wednesday, the vandalized towers numbered T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003, and T1004, were discovered during a routine patrol by its engineers on July 29, 2026.
“The inspection revealed that vandals had removed critical bracing members from the structures, making away with about 130 tower components and leaving the towers structurally compromised.
In response, TCN and the Nigeria Police conducted a joint raid in the affected host community on July 30, where they met with the village head and youth leaders, urging them to cooperate in identifying those responsible for the attack on the national power infrastructure”, TCN stated.
The company disclosed that on August 1, the police informed it that a principal suspect had been arrested. Authorities also recovered part of the stolen tower members. TCN officials later visited the recovery site to verify the materials and called for the suspect to be fully prosecuted.
TCN said investigators have obtained useful leads from the suspect and are pursuing other members of the vandalism syndicate. Police investigations are ongoing.
The company condemned the persistent vandalism of electricity transmission infrastructure, describing it as a threat to years of investment in the nation’s power sector and the stability of electricity supply.
TCN appealed to host communities and members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around transmission installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office. It stressed that safeguarding critical national infrastructure requires the collective efforts of all stakeholders.
TCN, police arrest suspect over vandalism of transmission towers on Yola/Jalingo power line