TCN, Police Recover Stolen Parts In Yola–Jalingo Tower Vandalism

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed the vandalism of six transmission towers along the Yola–Jalingo 330kV transmission line, with police arresting a prime suspect and recovering part of the stolen infrastructure.

According to TCN, the vandalised towers—T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003 and T1004—were discovered during a routine patrol by its engineers on July 29, 2026.

The inspection revealed that vandals had removed about 130 critical bracing members, leaving the towers structurally compromised and posing a serious threat to the integrity of the transmission line.

A statement issued by the TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, on Wednesday in Abuja, stated that the company
carried out a joint operation with the Nigeria Police Force on July 30 within the affected host community.

It stated that during the raid, officials met with the village head and youth leaders, urging them to assist in identifying those responsible for the attack.

“The breakthrough came on August 1, when the police informed TCN that a principal suspect had been arrested and part of the stolen tower components recovered”, the statement stated.

It added that TCN officials subsequently inspected the recovered materials and called for the suspect to be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

The company said investigators have obtained useful leads from the suspect and are pursuing other members of the vandalism syndicate.

TCN condemned the persistent attacks on power transmission infrastructure, warning that such acts undermine years of investment in the electricity sector and threaten the reliability of power supply nationwide.

The company appealed to 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, stressing that safeguarding national grid infrastructure requires collective action.