The Transmission Company of Nigeria has confirmed the arrest of a vandal caught in the act of sabotaging a transmission tower in Osun State.
The arrest took place on Tuesday night, thanks to the efforts of armed vigilantes.
The suspect was nabbed while attempting to return to the site of a previous vandalism incident to continue his destructive activities.
The tower, located in the Ikeji-Ile area of Osun State, had already been vandalized on August 13, 2024, with crucial components stolen.
In a statement shared by TCN on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the company revealed that two accomplices managed to escape and are currently being pursued by authorities.
Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, expressed deep concern about the rising threat of vandalism, particularly in areas where power installations are located. She highlighted that TCN experienced multiple vandalism attacks across its transmission regions between July 1 and August 11, 2024.
Mbah recounted several alarming incidents, including one on August 7, where security operatives intercepted vandals in a blue pick-up van loaded with stolen tower components and cables along the Damboa/Maiduguri 132KV transmission line. Tragically, two of the vandals were killed by hunters near the Damaturu end of the line.
Further attacks occurred on August 3 and 5 in the Enugu Region, where vandals targeted towers on the Apir-Aliede and Apir-Otukpo-Yandev transmission lines. The attacks caused significant damage, including the theft of a yellow phase conductor, which led to the tripping of a 150MVA power transformer at the Apir Transmission Substation.
On July 24, vandals struck Tower T328 along the 330kV Osogbo-Ganmo line in Osogbo, Osun State. The attack severely damaged the tower, leaving it twisted and bent, with neighboring towers also affected.
In her statement, Mbah made a strong appeal to the communities hosting these installations, urging them to join forces with security agencies, vigilantes, and TCN to protect vital power infrastructure.
“The escalating threat of vandalism is a serious concern, and we call on all stakeholders to work together to safeguard our power installations,” Mbah said.
