31 electricity towers affected as vandals raid transmission lines in Edo communities

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported the destruction of 31 transmission towers by vandals in Edo State. In a statement issued on Friday, Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s Director of Public Affairs, confirmed that the attacks occurred in Okada and Ofosu communities, affecting the 330kV Benin-Egbin and Benin-Omotosho transmission lines.

Mbah explained that the damaged towers, which had critical components removed earlier in November, were discovered during a routine patrol by TCN linesmen. “A total of 31 towers were affected in this incident,” she said. “TCN engineers from the Benin Sub-Region have initiated repairs to prevent the collapse of the affected towers and to avoid disruption of bulk power supply.”

In addition to the Edo incident, Mbah revealed that the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV line, which was already undergoing repairs following an earlier attack, was once again targeted by vandals on November 19. The recent attack damaged towers 29 to 31 and led to the theft of approximately one-third of the conductor.

The Ahoada-Yenagoa line has been a recurring target of vandalism. On August 14, TCN reported prolonged power outages in Bayelsa State after the destruction of 13 transmission towers along the line. As of October 29, 65 percent of the damaged towers had been repaired, with 17 successfully erected and work continuing on the remaining three.

“A team of TCN engineers, led by Engr. Emmanuel Akpa, General Manager of the Port Harcourt Region, has conducted an inspection of the site,” the statement read. “Preliminary findings indicate that the incident occurred at night. To prevent further theft while repair arrangements are being made, local security has been engaged at Ula Ikata in Ahoada East LGA to secure the site until repairs are completed. Additionally, the line will be energized from the Ahoada end as a preventive measure.”

Mbah added that efforts to replace the stolen 250mm conductor are underway, despite challenges posed by difficult terrain and flooding. She noted that the restringing of the Ahoada-Yenagoa line is now approximately 85 percent complete.

The repeated incidents highlight the urgent need to address vandalism and theft, which continue to undermine Nigeria’s power infrastructure. Mbah called on security operatives and local communities to support efforts to protect power installations, stressing the impact such criminal acts have on the expansion and stability of the national grid.

She reiterated TCN’s commitment to safeguarding its infrastructure and urged public cooperation to combat the growing menace of vandalism.