Authorities apprehend individual after unidentified perpetrators damage multiple high-voltage transmission masts along TCN's Yola-Jalingo line

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The Transmission Company of Nigeria 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.

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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.

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According to a post obtained from TCN’s X handle on Wednesday, the vandals removed critical bracing members from the affected structures and carted away an estimated 130 pieces of tower components, posing a serious threat to the stability of the transmission towers.

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Following the discovery, TCN carried out a joint operation with the Nigeria Police Force on 30 July 2026 within the host community, engaging local leaders and youth representatives to support efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible.

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The company said the police later notified TCN on August 1, 2026, that a principal suspect connected to the vandalism had been arrested, while some of the stolen tower materials had been recovered.

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“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.

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TCN 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.

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“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 company said.

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The transmission company condemned the continued vandalism of electricity infrastructure, describing the act as a threat to national grid assets and years of investment in the power sector.

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TCN urged host communities and the general public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities around transmission installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office.

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The company stressed that protecting critical power infrastructure requires collective action to ensure a stable and reliable electricity supply.

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