The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a suspect linked to the vandalism of six transmission towers along the Yola–Jalingo 330kV power line, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced.
TCN disclosed that the affected towers—T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003, and T1004—were discovered vandalised during a routine patrol by its engineers on July 29, 2026, with critical structural components removed.
According to the company, vandals stripped about 130 bracing members from the towers, posing a serious threat to their structural integrity and the stability of power supply in the region.
Following the discovery, TCN carried out a joint operation with the police on July 30 within the host community, engaging local leaders and demanding cooperation in identifying those responsible.
The breakthrough came on August 1, when the police confirmed the arrest of a principal suspect and the recovery of part of the stolen materials.
“The Police have obtained solid leads from the suspect in custody and remain committed to tracking down the remaining members of the syndicate,” TCN said.
Officials of the company subsequently visited the site to verify the recovered items and called for the full prosecution of those involved.
TCN condemned the repeated attacks on power infrastructure, warning that such acts undermine national investments in the electricity sector.
“We strongly condemn the continued vandalism of power transmission infrastructure as it undermines years of investment in the sector,” the statement read.
The company urged host communities and the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities around transmission installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office.
The incident highlights ongoing challenges facing Nigeria’s power infrastructure, particularly vandalism, which continues to disrupt electricity supply and grid stability.
