The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported another case of vandalism affecting its power infrastructure, specifically targeting the 330kV Lokoja–Gwagwalada transmission line one. In a statement issued by Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager for Public Affairs, the attack on transmission towers T306, T307, and T308 led to disruptions in bulk power transmission along the line.
According to Mbah, TCN engineers initially attempted to re-energize the affected line in the early hours of Saturday, November 9, 2024. However, the line tripped, and after repeated efforts to restore it failed, TCN dispatched a team to inspect the transmission route. Upon investigation, the team found that vandals had stolen two spans of aluminium conductors from the line.
Mbah explained that while the Lokoja–Gwagwalada line is a double-circuit line, TCN is currently supplying power through the unaffected line two. She assured that efforts are underway to procure replacement conductors for the stolen spans, but she emphasized that the repeated vandalism of transmission lines poses a severe threat to Nigeria’s power infrastructure, undermining grid stability and expansion.
“This incident contributes to an alarming rise in attacks on the national transmission network,” Mbah stated, referencing previous vandalism incidents in the Gwagwalada area, including attacks on the Gwagwalada–Kukuwaba–Apo transmission line in December 2023 and the Gwagwalada–Katampe line in February 2024. She appealed to the public, especially those living near transmission lines, to support TCN and security agencies in combating vandalism, highlighting that damage to power infrastructure disrupts progress toward a stable national grid and impacts all Nigerians.