Five towers collapse as vandals attack 132kV transmission line

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By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

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Five transmission towers along the Ikot Abasi-Eket 132kV Double Circuit Transmission Line have collapsed following extensive vandalism of the facilities, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has said.

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According to a statement issued by TCN on Friday in Abuja, the damage was discovered during a routine joint patrol of the transmission line by its linesmen on August 9, 2026.

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The company said a preliminary assessment showed that critical structural bracing members had been removed from Towers N9, N10, N11, N12, N13 and N15, resulting in the collapse of five towers.

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Further inspection revealed that structural members had also been removed and stolen from seven other towers along the transmission corridor.

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TCN said the affected towers had been structurally compromised, posing a risk of further collapse and raising concerns about the reliability of electricity supply along the corridor.

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To mitigate the impact on electricity supply, the company said the network had been reconfigured to prioritise power supply from Ibom Power.

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The transmission company added that its management was mobilising an urgent intervention to reconstruct the affected sections of the line and restore the integrity of the transmission infrastructure.

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It also said security agencies had been notified to support investigations into the vandalism and prevent further attacks along the transmission line route.

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TCN condemned the incident as an act of sabotage, stressing that it remained committed to maintaining a robust and reliable national electricity grid.

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The company urged stakeholders and communities along transmission corridors to support efforts to protect critical electricity infrastructure from vandalism and theft.

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