Police Arrest Suspect Over Vandalism Of 6 TCN Transmission Towers

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed the destruction of six transmission towers along the Yola–Jalingo 330kV Transmission Line, with the Nigeria Police Force arresting a principal suspect linked to the incident.

The affected towers—T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003 and T1004—were discovered to have been vandalised during a routine patrol by TCN engineers on July 29, 2026.

In a statement shared on its official X handle on Wednesday, TCN said the vandals removed critical bracing members from the affected structures and carted away about 130 tower components, posing a serious threat to the stability of the transmission line.

Following the discovery, the company launched a joint operation with the Nigeria Police Force on July 30, 2026, in the host community. The operation involved engagements with community leaders and youth representatives to support efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for the vandalism.

According to TCN, the police informed the company on August 1, 2026, that a principal suspect connected to the crime 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.

The company 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 statement added.

TCN condemned the continued vandalism of electricity infrastructure, describing it as a serious threat to national grid assets and years of investment in the country’s power sector.

The company urged 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 protecting critical power infrastructure requires collective action to safeguard the national grid and ensure a stable and reliable electricity supply across the country.