The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has once again been hit by vandalism, as three transmission towers on the 330kV Lokoja-Gwagwalada line have been destroyed. According to a statement released on Sunday by TCN spokesperson Ndidi Mbah, the incident occurred on Saturday, causing a disruption in power flow through the affected line.
The statement specified that the damaged towers, identified as T306, T307, and T308, were targeted by vandals who also removed two spans from line one. Despite the setback, TCN has managed to maintain power supply to the impacted areas using alternative channels.
“The Transmission Company of Nigeria hereby reports that vandals have attacked its 330kV Lokoja–Gwagwalada transmission line 1 in the early hours of Saturday, November 9, 2024. The attack affected line two as well,” Mbah stated. She added that TCN engineers made an attempt to re-energize the line on Saturday, but it tripped unexpectedly.
Following this, a TCN patrol team was dispatched to inspect the line physically, and it was during this check that they discovered the damage to towers T306, T307, and T308. The destruction has disrupted bulk power transmission along this crucial route. Further inspection revealed that the vandals had stolen two spans of aluminum conductor from line one. In the meantime, TCN is channeling bulk power through line two, and efforts are underway to source replacement aluminum conductors for the damaged spans.
Ongoing Vandalism Threatens Nigeria’s Power Infrastructure
This latest attack is part of a troubling trend of vandalism against power infrastructure across Nigeria. TCN highlighted that this incident is just one among many recent assaults on their facilities, including attacks on the Gwagwalada-Kukuwaba-Apo line on December 10, 2023, and the Gwagwalada-Katampe line on February 26, 2024. Mbah noted that these attacks pose significant challenges to the stability and progress of Nigeria’s national grid.
“These recurring incidents are a disservice to the nation, undermining efforts to improve the power supply for all Nigerians,” Mbah stated. She also highlighted that each act of vandalism adds delays to TCN’s restoration initiatives, weakening the overall reliability of the grid.
Community Support Needed to Combat Vandalism
Many Nigerian states continue to face the adverse impacts of vandalism on their power infrastructure, leading to extended power outages that sometimes last for weeks or months. TCN has described these acts of destruction as sabotage and has called on both security agencies and host communities to assist in identifying and apprehending the culprits.
In light of recent events, TCN is urging well-meaning Nigerians to join its efforts in protecting the nation’s electricity infrastructure. The company hopes that by working together, the country can curb this menace and improve the resilience of its power systems.
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