The Transmission Company of Nigeria has confirmed the arrest of a key suspect in connection with the vandalism of six transmission towers along the Yola-Jalingo 330kV transmission line, as security agencies intensify efforts to apprehend other members of the criminal network.
According to The Punch, the company said parts of the stolen tower components had also been recovered following the suspect’s arrest.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, TCN identified the affected towers as T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003 and T1004, explaining that vandals removed critical structural members, thereby posing a serious threat to the stability of the transmission line.
According to the company, the damage was detected on July 29, 2026, during a routine patrol by its engineers, who discovered that about 130 pieces of tower bracing members had been stolen.
TCN said, “The Transmission Company of Nigeria wishes to inform the public that six of its transmission towers, T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003, and T1004, along the Yola-Jalingo 330kV Transmission Line have been vandalised.
“The incident was discovered during a routine line patrol by TCN Engineers on 29th July 2026, when it was observed that vandals had stripped critical bracing members from the affected towers, carting away an estimated 130 pieces of tower members.
The act posed a severe structural threat to the towers.”
Following the discovery, the company said it immediately partnered with security agencies to track down those responsible.
It disclosed that on July 30, 2026, officials carried out a joint operation with the Nigeria Police Force in the host community, where they met with the village head and youth leaders, urging them to assist in identifying those behind the crime.
The statement added, “Following the discovery, TCN, on 30th July 2026, conducted a joint raid with the Nigeria Police Force within the host community. During the exercise, the team engaged the village head and youth leadership, demanding their full cooperation in identifying and producing the perpetrators.”
The company said investigations yielded results on August 1 after police informed it that a principal suspect had been arrested and that some of the stolen tower materials had been recovered.
TCN officials later visited the recovery site to inspect the retrieved materials and called for the suspect to be prosecuted.
It said, “On August 1st, 2026, the Police notified TCN that a principal suspect linked to the vandalism had been apprehended, and that a portion of the stolen tower members had been recovered. 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 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 condemned repeated attacks on electricity transmission infrastructure, warning that such acts jeopardise investments in the power sector and threaten the reliability of electricity supply across the country.
It further appealed to residents of host communities and members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around transmission facilities to security agencies or the nearest TCN office.
According to the statement, “We strongly condemn the continued vandalism of power transmission infrastructure as it undermines years of investment in the sector.
“We appeal to host communities and the general public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity around transmission installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office. Collective action is essential to protect national grid assets and ensure reliable power supply.”
