Abakaliki, Ebonyi State — June 19, 2026 — The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has intensified efforts to curb vandalism and encroachment on power infrastructure with a sensitisation campaign across host communities in Ebonyi State, warning that continued attacks on transmission facilities threaten national electricity supply and economic stability.
The outreach, conducted in Umuhuali, Ezillo, and Nkalagu communities under the Enugu Region on Thursday, focused on rising cases of vandalism, illegal structures on transmission corridors, and dangerous activities around high-voltage installations.
Leading the campaign, the General Manager (Transmission), Enugu Region, Dr. Thomas Inugonum, outlined key threats facing the network, including vandalism of 330kV and 132kV power lines, excavation near tower foundations, farming and trading under transmission lines, and burning of waste beneath high-voltage corridors.
He warned that such activities expose communities to severe risks, including electrocution and structural collapse of transmission towers.
“The dangers of vandalism and encroachment cannot be overstated. These actions endanger lives, destroy critical infrastructure, and weaken the national grid,” Dr. Inugonum said.
He recalled a fatal incident in Ezillo where an unidentified individual was electrocuted while attempting to vandalise Tower 34 on the Nkalagu–Abakaliki 132kV line. He also cited the arrest of two suspects on 9 May 2026 by community vigilantes and security operatives after dismantling components from Towers T15, T16, and T17 along the same transmission corridor.
According to him, vandalised transmission materials are often sold to scrap dealers at a fraction of their value, despite their high replacement cost to the nation.
Dr. Inugonum urged residents to strengthen surveillance efforts and promptly report suspicious activities around transmission assets, noting that similar sensitisation exercises in Benue and Enugu States had recorded improved community cooperation and reduced incidents.
The campaign began with a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler of Umuhuali Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Patrick Nwafor Udoku, who pledged his community’s full support for the protection of transmission installations and prevention of encroachment on Right of Way corridors.
Also speaking, the President General of Ezza Umuhuali Town Union, Hon. Solomon Nweke, condemned attacks on power infrastructure, describing them as “a direct assault on the national economy that endangers lives and property.”
He attributed recent arrests of vandals to the vigilance of local security groups and community leaders, and called for sustained engagement between TCN and host communities to strengthen protection mechanisms.
The sensitisation exercise ended with community leaders and residents pledging cooperation with TCN and security agencies to safeguard electricity infrastructure serving the region and the country.
