Vandals destroy six TCN towers as Yola, Jalingo residents remain in darkness

Residents along the Yola–Jalingo axis have been thrown into darkness following the vandalism of six of the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN’s) transmission towers—T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003 and T1004—along the Yola–Jalingo 330kV transmission line.

In a statement, the General Manager, Public Relations, of TCN, Ndidi Mbah, said the incident was discovered during a routine line patrol by TCN engineers, who observed that vandals had stripped critical bracing members from the affected towers, carting away an estimated 130 tower components.

The act, she said, posed a severe structural threat to the towers.

Following the discovery, TCN conducted a joint operation with the Nigeria Police Force in the host community. During the exercise, the team engaged the village head and youth leaders, demanding their full co-operation in identifying and producing the perpetrators.

“On August 1, 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, Mbah explained, have obtained solid leads from the suspect in custody and remain committed to tracking down the remaining members of the syndicate.

TCN, however, condemned the continued vandalism of power transmission infrastructure, saying 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,” she said.